


Withering Suns

by Adeni



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst and Romance, Attempt at Humor, Betrayal, Character Death, Forced Abortion, Implied Mpreg, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Male Lactation, Minor Character Death, Mpreg, Multi, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post Mpreg, Post-War, Romance, Romantic Fluff, War, undefined time period
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:28:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 80,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25145449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adeni/pseuds/Adeni
Summary: A tale that follows the lives of soldiers and their mates throughout the course of a war filled with damaged bodies, battered souls, two-faced backstabbers, and betrayals.War brings out the most vile side of people. When a war engulfing five kingdoms consumes the world, the weak are weeded out from the strong. As the Alphas and Betas fight on the battlefield, Omegas fight to survive. Those who have the will to survive in the face of death do what they must to survive while the weak become fodder. A tale of innocents connected by fate dragged into war through hell and back and how they survived. No matter the costs and sacrifices. Some are rebellious catalysts that start the war, others are powerless puppets but each person -catalyst, bystander, soldier, victim, coward- plays a major role in some way or another in destroying the world. But the honest reality of the world is that there are no sinless innocents. Only the powerful and the powerless.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 4
Kudos: 143





	1. A Boy with Nine Lives

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work after giving up writing 3 years ago. I went through some things in my life at that time that drastically affected my mental health. I've always used writing as a coping mechanism but all those things nearly broke me. I found myself in a deep dark hopeless abyss and I was in a place where the more I tried to write the more that hurt me because it reminded me of everything I lost.
> 
> But I'm trying to put my broken self back together piece by piece. It's either forcing myself back into writing or going back to therapy so here I am. I start to get panic attacks and migraines when I write but I'm trying to make writing fun again. I'll be happy if even one person enjoys this read 🙂 (sorry I'm chatty but it's been a long while & I'm happy)
> 
> On a lighter note~ I still suck at writing summaries and coming up with titles. I may edit that crappy summary at some point. Plus I've been away so long I think my writing style devolved 😣
> 
> We're starting with the peaceful pre-war years first so buckle up.

With the dying shadows of all things beautiful marshaling the arrival of dusk, the last glorious rays of golden sunlight kiss the scenic countryside landscape goodbye with its long brushstrokes of melancholic colors, bidding farewell to day and courting a sweet night of dreams upon the kingdom of Manzar. Dusk creeps in so slowly and familiarly, robbing the world of vibrancy and carrying on its back the scent of a fragrant springtime night.

Night springs to life inside the small, quaint orphanage as Akito finishes decorating the wooden ceiling beams with a long string of shining bright lights. The neglected thick beams were starting to develop a thick coating of gray dust and when Akito swats away at the dust with his hands the young moderately clean children playing down below stare with intrigue, perhaps remembering the pure white snow of last winter. “Hey! Don’t play with the dust, it’s dirty. Sister Maralissa is going to bring out the cake soon. Bad children who don’t listen will go to sleep hungry.”

Being the oldest child in the Children of the Clay orphanage it was only natural that at 10 years old young Akito was made to shoulder a lot of the responsibility of helping Sister Maralissa and Director Jun oversee the children in his role as “Big Brother.” Though technically Director Jun played no active role in managing the orphanage. He was just a poor old man who had lost his mate many years ago and was led by the kindness of his soul and what little money he could scrounge to help the pitiable children. He was gaunt in appearance and had a long graying beard. Each time he appeared at the orphanage, it seemed as if his small hunched back could very easily vanish into thin air at a moment’s notice. He only had a few short years left in him. No matter how hard he tried not to, Akito often thought about what would happen once Director Jun died, after all the orphanage did run on his charity. But he always shoved those chilling thoughts to the farthest corner of his mind.

Every month he would bring with him to the orphanage some bare necessities and if lucky, some luxuries like salt and sugar. The children loved waking up at the crack of dawn to wait for his arrival by the door, squealing out of control at the signalling clink clink of his boots drawing near. Then once his wrinkled face turned the corner they would pull at his sagging clothes, climb all over the tired emaciated man like a tree, kick and bite and drool all over him as he fought his way to the wobbly table in the drafty orphanage dining room to lay down the supplies.

On Akito’s part, having to mediate whiny complaints of “He stole my this” and “He hid my that” and “She hit me with this” had become a very natural daily routine in his life. The main culprits of whining being the inseparable 4 year old Saia and 3 year old Neelu who could never pass a day without fighting or making each other cry. Among the children in the orphanage, a majority were collected by the kindhearted Director Jun from the streets as wandering waifs with nowhere to go. Some were not even old enough to walk yet, rescued as infants crawling between the speedy legs of heartless passersby who ignored their existence.

After Mazar’s King Vidi had unexpectedly passed away from a severe fall off his horse on a hunting trip, the country was engulfed in a political war for succession between two leading factions: on one hand the loyal supporters of the rightful heir to the throne, the boy prince Azir, and on the other hand, the greedy and corrupt group of advisors who had dissented from King Vidi’s council headed by the dead king’s most trusted advisor and confidante, Hafizar Rani. There were multiple conflicting rumors that after Rani had seized control he ousted the boy prince and his loyal supporters from the palace, sparing them not even the clothes on their backs in the middle of the bone-chilling winter blizzard and other such tales that he had captured the boy in his sleep, tortured him to death, and eaten the boy just to further spite the dead king.

As for the common people, they did not care which version was the truth. All they had known was that the clouds above steadily grew darker and began to grumble loudly day after day as if the Heavens were trying to warn them of all the staggering hardships to come. The plentiful harvests of the fields had began to dwindle due to the floods and families could no longer afford to feed as many mouths. Thus, leading to young children being abandoned to fend for themselves and babies forsaken like burdens. The once prosperous kingdom of Manzar was in the early stages of drought and famine. The only place unaffected was the royal capital Heljener.

But in the orphanage, none of that mattered. Since most of the children had been here for as long as they were old enough to form memories, to them this was home, and these faces they woke up to every morning and fell asleep next to every night were family. That was all they needed and therefore all that truly mattered in their sheltered worlds. Akito rounds up the birthday children, practically bouncing with excitement at the rare treat of sugar to the wobbly but resilient table that held the meager cake Sister Maralissa toiled all evening baking in the makeshift outdoor woodfire stove. Since it was a given that the young children wouldn’t know their birthdays, Director Jun had decided to instead make their “birthdays” the day they were brought to the orphanage. Also, since it would be too much work to give each child an individual day, birthdays were grouped together by months and celebrated all together at once. Of course, since no one knew their real ages, Director Jun gave them their ages based on roundabout estimated guesses of how old he assumed they were.

For this particular birthday, six children were brought into the orphanage in the same month. It was getting increasingly harder by the minute for Sister Maralissa to keep the six birthday boys and girls from drooling all over the cake before it was even eaten yet. Sugar really was such a rare treat that was hard to time by in these times and more importantly a luxury expense the small orphanage could rarely afford. Gently lighting the six gasoline-coated sticks substituting for candles, one for each child, Sister Maralissa happily hums a soft tune, her warm expression very maternal and loving. “Okay, are you all ready to make a wish? After you make your wish you can blow out your candle.”

Sarina could barely contain herself from joy as she tugs on her nun habit, “Mama Marie, how many manies am I?” At first Sister Maralissa felt strange having so many children call her Mama when she was only in her early twenties, but now that she had settled into her role as a motherly figure she had especially grown to love the endearment and her nickname Marie. “Hmm, let’s see. Sarina is turning 5 today. You’re already a big girl.”

Sarina’s toothy smile with two missing front teeth just made her that much cuter to Sister Maralissa, “Wow! I have so many manies. I’m a big girl. Big girl” she excitedly yelled to her family. The children preferred to say “manies” instead of years. No matter how hard Akito tried to get them to change this cute habit it never worked.

Trying to quickly direct the children to blow out the sticks before they burned out, Sister Maralissa continues handing out their ages, “Yin, Tula, and Adat are now turning 4 years old, Jio is turning 3 and Baby Hamshar is turning 2 so I guess I won’t be able to call you a baby for much longer, huh?” Ruffling Hamshar’s mousy brown hair, Sister Maralissa couldn’t help a large smile escaping her lips watching the children growing up right in front of her eyes. “Now let’s make a wish.”

Directing the children to close their eyes to silently make their wish, Tula, an unrestrained loudmouth, bellows out her wish at the top of her lungs, “I wish everyone in the orphanage can be happy all the time and we can eat cake every day!”

Giving her the side eye, mischievous Yin and Adat snicker while a frowning and angered Sarina hurries to quiet Tula, “If you say it out loud, the gods won’t listen to you! Mama Marie always tells us you have to say it in your heart because your heart is truer than your voice. Now that the devils have heard your wish they will take it from you and do the opposite! Everyone in the orphanage is never going to be happy and we will never get to eat cake again!” Sister Maralissa felt that the young girl was more realistically displeased over the no more cake part than the will never be happy part but quietly kept her laughter to herself.

Sensing that tears and fights were going to break out over Tula’s careless mistake, Akito rushes to the rescue. Gently taking the small sobbing frame in a warm hug, “The gods always allow a do-over. Go on, Tula, make another wish. It’s okay, you’re a good girl and you meant well. Shush shush, you’re already 4 years old now. You have to be a big girl now, right?” Feeling her silent nod on his shoulder, “Then let’s wipe those tears.”

After wiping the wet tears, Tula blows out her candles. Akito was sure that this time too she made the same wish in her heart for everyone to live together in harmony forever as one large warm, loving family. Waiting for what felt like forever, he couldn’t help the feelings of love and protectiveness he felt over his siblings swelling as he watched them bare-handedly shoving pieces of cake into their gaping mouths. It was anarchy; pure mayhem watching them knee and elbow for the sugary treat. At one point during the fight to the death, it was no wonder that the wobbly table finally collapsed, ending its five year struggle. Sister Maralissa and Akito exchange cautious looks, both thinking in their minds to put a stop to this disaster, but neither fully willing to lose an eye to get between the sugar-staved beasts and their sweet dessert.

The next day after the birthday marked a significant turning point in Akito’s memory. He had woken up with an inexplicable feeling of nervous anticipation as if something that would change his life forever would happen today. The younger children merrily give chase with bright smiles in the green meadow fields behind the orphanage while the older children competitively send kites like warriors into the clear blue sky. It was another overpoweringly beautiful day just like the day before.

This was the day the tiny, severely malnourished 9 year old Hiran was brought to the orphanage and automatically became the second oldest child. Although Akito was only expecting Director Jun to deliver the monthly supplies, he was not expecting a new addition to the orphanage. Hiran’s entire body was covered with bandages and where there were no bandages there were dark bluish-black bruises. His left arm was held in a white cloth sling and his left leg was wrapped in a make-shift leg brace made of thick tree branches twined together by a rope. Because of his severe injuries he had to use a heavy wooden cane to support his weight when standing or walking.

New children were frequently brought in but often not as battered as Hiran was. As horrific as Hiran’s condition was, Akito could not explain why the first time his amber eyes met the lifeless forest green eyes of Hiran an almost scalding heat built up in his chest wracked throughout his entire body. He couldn’t help feeling dizzy and perhaps a little nauseous due to the burning heat’s effect. Director Jun’s words were becoming warbled and Sister Maralissa’s responses were becoming drowned out the longer Akito and Hiran continued staring at each other and judging by how Hiran himself was shaken from deep inside his core just like Akito was, it seemed like they were both experiencing the same intense physical reactions brought about by their meeting.

Director Jun discreetly pulls Sister Maralissa to the side as the young children curiously gawk at the pitiable Hiran. “Father Jun, this child… just what happened to this child?” she asks alarmed with overwhelming worry and pity.

The old man sagely rubs at the deep wrinkles on his face, the depth of each crevice had its own history to tell from a past life lived. Director Jun hums in thought first before revealing. “Around more than a month ago, I went to Jiendai to meet with one of my friends.” Director Jun usually went to meet with his friends in different countries for the sake of seeking funds for the orphanage. “This child is Hiran. He had that name sewn on the collar of his clothes. I first met him in a small border town as a wandering beggar. I remembered him for the fact that he was too weak to even hold up his tin cup. I gave him what little I had on me.”

Director Jun’s expression became distressed. Just recounting the events was resurfacing the trauma and disgust. It was hard for him to talk through the emotions but he painfully continues, “The next time I saw him a few weeks later, his body was lying in the middle of the street. I’d assumed he had died. The people in that country truly have hearts made of ice. Uncaring and loveless people.” Jiendai is a battle-hardened country of warriors. As Jiendai was surrounded by barren wastelands, infertile soil, and mountains on all four sides, its warmonger government was accustomed to fighting wars and invading weaker countries for their natural resources. It was a cold, heartless country where the savage law of the land was survival of the fittest and every man for themselves.

The senile old man wipes away the warm pitying tears dripping down into his gray beard. “Passersby were stepping on his unmoving body and when they felt that his body was blocking the path they would kick him to the side as if he was animal droppings blocking their way. Not one person checked to see if he was dead or alive. I don’t know how long he’d been heartlessly left for dead like that- maybe days or weeks. It was only when I was walking closer to pray for his soul before I buried him that I heard barely audible winces and faint breathing. When I picked up the boy, he was as light as air. I put him on my mule, fed him, and brought him straight here. Sister, will you please make sure that boy never has to know that kind of suffering here in this home?”

Sister Maralissa turns her attention to the lifeless Hiran whose eyes looked but did not see. He was dead in every way except for physically. She softly murmurs a prayer to the gods to resurrect Hiran’s spirit back to life. She turns back to Director Jun with determination and confidence. Maybe what or who Hiran needed to feel alive again was in this orphanage.

A long time ago, Sister Maralissa used to tell Akito bedtime stories about Alphas and Omegas who were fated pairs, lovers perfectly made for each other and no one else. Memories of being snuggly tucked in and gleefully listening to romantic stories of people who could feel their destined connection the moment they looked at each other peacefully lulled him to sleep and brought about warm feelings in his heart. He loved hearing about them. A pair that only existed for each other. That they knew they were predestined by fate to love each other down to the atoms as if it was in their very genes; that out of all the millions of people in the world it could only be this one person who belonged to them entirely in mind, body, and soul was astounding to his young brain.

But in this moment now, even though he could remember hearing romance-filled bedtime tales about fated pairs, encountering Hiran was much too overwhelming for the 10 year old to keep his rationality about him. He couldn’t tell if he was flying or falling. With a mild shaking of his stiff shoulder to get his attention, Akito returns to his senses. “We’ve run out of beds to spare. You and Hiran will have to sleep in the same bed. Would you mind sharing?”

The children were too engrossed in fishing out random supplies from the burlap sack on the partially repaired three-legged table to give any more attention to the frighteningly pale shivering Hiran in the corner of the dining room. One last peek at the pitiable Hiran who looked like he was just a day away from dying of starvation, feelings he couldn’t yet explain take course in Akito’s heart. Akito mutely nods his head.

In the beginning Hiran never involved himself with the others, instead preferring to blend into the corner of some wall, and due to this unfriendliness the other children would restrain themselves and only stare at him from afar. Although they wanted nothing more than to jump on him and invitingly integrate him into the family with a stream of welcoming hair pulls and probing pokes. But it couldn't be helped that it took the severely malnourished boy a lot of time to warm up to his new family. Through watching Hiran, Akito knew that this much was evident: apparently Hiran himself was also unable to stop his eyes from naturally seeking out Akito which meant that he felt that same inexplicably uncontrollable attraction, emotional resonance, drawing not just their bodies but their souls as well to each other.

\--

A warm, gentle breeze carrying the salty aroma of the Benji sea cascades through the miles upon miles of luscious fields hosting an assorted collection of wildflowers. A passive wind of peace and tranquility blows through the beautiful country of Sarak, pleasantly gracing all with its refreshing warmth and the scents of summer. Nine diverts his attention back from the window where he had been drinking in the breathtaking scenery of Sarak and attempting to catch the formless wind in his hands to see his lively family reunite with his uncle’s small family of three. The afterimage of the visually exquisite landscape was still lingering in the back of his eyelids. And while he didn’t know it at the time, this summer six years ago was one he’d always remember because it was the first summer he came to know about love.

The adolescent 15 year old’s family was currently visiting the neighboring country of Sarak on a temple pilgrimage, though Nine himself was an anomaly in that he was a stout disbeliever in the power of so-and-so gods but he had no choice other than to comply to attending the pilgrimage or accept a brutal beating from his dad Iku’s deadly go-to weapon of choice-- his cooking ladle.

Sarak was a country deeply rooted in their colorful traditions. Everywhere that met the eye was decorated with loud vibrant colors that injected everything around them with a fresh breath of life. Mouth watering food stalls lined the streets, children playfully chased after one another through the crowded buzz, and everywhere Nine could see were bright smiling friendly faces speaking in an enchanting Sarian lilt. The people wore fashionable waist-length top robes secured around the waist with a matching sash belt and pants, the entire outfit finished by somber-toned sandals, which would evolve into high boots once the harsh winter came around.

Jokifar, his uncle Ermir’s Beta mate, who always took a little while to warm up to people was standing beside his mate’s side crading in the crook of his arms a new, or rather, their first bundle of joy warmly greeting Iku and Tai’s family with a bright heartwarming smile as they passed through the threshold of their cool, breezy cottage one by one. Little Milly was also happily matching her Beta dad’s luminous smile, her tiny hands clutching the fabric of Jo’s top robe, slumbering peacefully with her crescent shaped eyes lightly closed.

Even though it took Jo a little time to warm up to his Beta mate’s side of the family, it never took very long for him to warm up to Nine, his favorite “little brother,” latching on immediately to the teen in a tight hug as soon as their eyes met. He couldn't help remarking that Nine had gotten taller, which earned a scoff and a sarcastic “obviously” from the teen going through puberty. Probably miffed because his growth spurt started much later than all of his close peers back in Bima. But his snarkiness nonetheless did not keep him from reciprocating the Beta’s tight hug.

Nine had always thought that his name was very ironic in a comical way because other than when he was nine years old, it’d always seem out of place and nonsensical. He’d also noticed that he was sometimes a little too inexplicably sensitive to certain things, most likely a side effect of puberty. Now that he was a 15 year old teenager named Nine, he couldn’t help sighing in slight frustration watching his Omega dad Iku who had named him currently engaged in a bone-crushing bear hug with his Beta uncle Ermir. Though it was more accurate to say that Iku couldn’t escape from his younger brother’s crushing grip no matter how much he tried.

At some point during the hug of death Nine was sure he heard the crisp sound of his dad's ribs cracking but the teen couldn’t be totally sure and brushed it off as a figment of his imagination. The seemingly never-ending hug was definitely a testament to how the two brothers got on better than a gasoline-drenched house on fire and while Ermir was younger than the Omega Iku and nonetheless a Beta he had always been deeply protective of his older brother which was why he only had a brief greeting nod and a half-hearted handshake to give Iku’s Alpha mate Tai.

Although Iku was dad to four “annoying bastards” as he called them, if someone took a look at him and had to guess his age they would definitely assume much lower than his real age. He naturally looked younger than he actually was. He’d always had while Tai on the other hand was starting to sport peppered streaks of gray by his temples. Taking a good look at his brother’s face who never seemed to age, Ermir just had to go in for another bone-crushing hug of death. “This place really hasn’t changed, huh?” Iku manages to say as he recalls walking through the colorful city full of friendly smiling faces and brimming with romance once he catches his breath after he’s released.

Giving his brother a hearty laugh, Ermir answers, “Of course it hasn’t. And why should it? The people are content, our nation is flourishing more than any other country around and our gods have blessed us with a wealth of natural resources. What more could we ask for?”

Nine and his older siblings couldn’t hold back their laughter at how differently Ermir treated their parents. While he loved his brother Iku to the bone, on the other hand he could barely tolerate Tai, sparing him barely any more attention than necessary. Nine was the youngest out of his three other siblings consisting of two older sisters and one older brother and ironically his brother’s name was Seven. A few years ago when he confronted Iku about the meaning behind their names, Iku had only told him that during his prime back when he was a rambunctious unmated Omega who occasionally dabbled in gambling, his lucky numbers were 7 and 9.

Not only were the siblings blessed with lustrous black hair inherited from Iku and captivating caramel brown eyes inherited from Tai, but they also had glowing olive complexions that emphasized their dark features so nicely that they couldn’t walk anywhere without their looks drawing favorable attention. Although Iku pretended to hate when Tai always referred to his kids as their “artful masterpieces” he had to agree that they do make some ridiculously attractive kids.

While Nine was nonetheless overjoyed to partake in the surrealism of everything Sarak had to offer, this summer seemed to imbue in him an inexplicable calm sense of anticipation deep within him. However, the teen soon pushes those thoughts to the back of his mind, chalking it all up to puberty symptoms. The country of Sarak shares a wealth of rich history and culture with his family’s home country Bima. Much of this had to do with the history of Bima and Sarak and also the proximity between the two countries. Geographically speaking, Bima and Sarak were very close to each other. That contributed to the countries’ flourishing economic states as Bima was blessed with many freshwater ports for trade and Sarak was blessed with a surplus of natural resources and fertile soil for agriculture.

But more importantly, they had since long ago been intertwined by love. People from Bima and Sarak were destined to fall in love with each other. Generation after generation consistently passed down the tale of how long ago in the past when Bima was nothing but a small backwoods country, the ruler at the time was a lost and morally dejected King Wir who had been strolling among the common people in disguise around the putrid, filthy streets littered with rotting foods and animal excrements and rodent corpses in the royal capital. As he was wallowing over the miserable condition of the country and praying to the gods for blessings, he collided into a young peasant boy from Sarak with the sweetest smile. A deliverance from the gods.

From then on, the King and the boy had fallen madly in love with each other and he had become a pair with the boy. Shortly after, the gods had mercifully answered all of his prayers. Thereafter, the state of Bima improved rapidly and the country began to flourish as it annexed more and more smaller surrounding countries that quickly assimilated to the peaceful culture and religious open-mindedness of Bima. As the King’s beloved mate was from Sarak, the King himself displayed extreme political favoritism toward Sarak, seeing to it that the economy of Sarak began to boom by lending the country whatever resources and assistance his kingdom could offer. This was the start of the mutually beneficial relationship between the two kingdoms sharing much of the same language, culture, and traditions as well as the beginning of the love prophecy between the people of Bima and Sarak.

Even Nine’s parents were proof of that love prophecy as Iku was from Sarak and Tai was from Bima.

Much in this way, many generations have at one point astutely swore to themselves that they will break the cycle, but alas that was impossible. There just seemed to be something that drew Alphas, Omegas, and Betas from Bima and Sarak to one another. Of course, this was not always the case. It was not uncommon for someone from Bima or Sarak to fall in love with their fellow countrymen but the respective people of both countries regarded their fellow countrymen in a more brotherly or sisterly manner, rarely as romantic love interests. There have been countless instances of them falling in love with outsiders or with their own countrymen, but those cases were few and far in between. Not to mention, they almost always ended up in both parties eventually being unhappy or unsatisfied with their partner.

There are many reasons that could explain the fateful attraction. Whether it be the natural compatibility drawn from the fact that those from Bima had a sun-kissed complexion that complemented the fair complexions of those from Sarak, which meant that their offspring more often than not inherited an alluring golden complexion. This for a time led to Sarak earning the title “The Land of Golden Children” both for its abundant goldmines and its equally abundant golden-toned children. Or that those from Sarak were naturally more soft-spoken and timid while those from Bima were forthright in speech and bold in action. It seemed that the gods had already written their love stories in the stars.

But one such soul suffering from the throes of love was none other than Seven, caring only enough to give his Beta uncles Ermir and Jofikar a lackluster greeting before languidly passing by to enter the large spacious wooden cottage with something of a forlorn expression on his face. Apparently everyone knew the reason for Seven’s bad mood witnessed in the last six months and all had to carefully walk on eggshells around him to not further upset his turbulent moods. It had to do with him having to be forced along to Sarak because there was someone he definitely would rather prefer not to come across, someone special. The situation was rather sensitive so no one dared to aggravate Seven too much.

Iliana, the oldest of the children, sighs as she eyes Seven’s constant moodiness unbecoming of an 20 year old Alpha. Even though she herself was a 27 year old married Alpha woman, every time she saw Seven listless and ruined by love she couldn’t help finding his condition a little pathetic even if she did feel a bit of pity for Seven’s incomplete love story. Daria, the second oldest, and laziest rolls her eyes for who knows how many times just today as she views the crackling tension between Seven and Iliana. But the 25 year old Omega was not really in any mood to act as a peacemaker for the two.

Now that the children, warned beforehand to be on their best behaviors, had entered after hugging their uncle Ermir and lovingly squished and pinched Milly’s cheeks on their way in had each found a comfortable spot to lounge, Jo gave a soft smile to Iku. Being with Iku had always for some reason made him a bit nervous. Not because he didn’t like his brother-in-law but because his husband had always inappropriately gushed like a fountain anytime his older brother was mentioned thus also making Jo place him on a high pedestal which in turn always made him question if he was up to Iku’s standards to be with his brother. Which was why he’d sometimes avoid meeting the Omega’s eyes and keep his distance though Iku knew that Jo was a loving and caring person so he had never taken it to heart.

But Iku blasts all of those useless nerves and thoughts out of Jo’s mind in a flash. After Jo hands Milly to her father to be laid down in her crib, Iku suddenly draws his Beta brother-in-law in a warm, tight hug, letting the Beta get used to being treated like family. Watching from the side, the gathered family smile warmly when an innocently giggling Jo also wraps his arms around Iku after a short while. Though the ridiculously grin on Ermir’s face was threatening to tear his face in half watching his beloved mate and brother being so close. The two in-laws held onto each other so long and so tight like two lifelong best friends who were only now reconciling after a particularly vicious falling out that Nine was starting to wonder if they were having a competition to see who can go longer without oxygen.

After Iku and Jo’s hug had ended, the two in-laws had tried desperately and failed to get their mates to also hug it out. Now that hugs and greeting were out of the way, everybody got comfortable and situated in the warm home filled with family. Ermir was a somewhat renowned carpenter in this part of the city and had single-handedly designed and constructed this cottage on his own for he and his small family to live in.

As Tai looked around at the impeccably skilled craftsmanship and amazing details of the house he couldn’t help but be awed and full of respect. He finally pulls his mate closer to him, needing his loving care and affection after withstanding the bitter coldness of rejection from Ermir. He nuzzles his nose in Iku's neck. “It’s already been twenty years but your brother still treats me like this.”

Iku strokes and pats his childishly whining mate’s head- though his pats had some strong power behind them so they were more like smacks. Whenever they were home in Bima Tai had always complained about how he wanted to be closer with Iku’s brothers who always treated him coldly so Iku was already too tired from the horse carriage travel to adequately placate the Alpha. It just couldn’t be helped-he was the only Omega in a family of Betas and Alphas so of course his brothers would feel protective over him just as Tai would feel protective over Daria if she ever gathered enough energy or interest to secure herself a mate. Instead, Iku was more concerned about his self-made circus, feeling it appropriate to once again harangue them so that they didn’t accidentally kill anyone or burn down any houses.

Standing at the head of the table where everyone was gathered with his hands on his hips, his voice loud and clear, “Now I know I said this already but I’m going to remind you again: while we are temporarily staying here there will be no wrestling, tackling, grappling, fist fighting, sword fighting-I still have no idea where you annoying bastards even got those swords from last time we stayed with my parents-, name calling or street performing. In general, if it’s something I would see performed in a circus, don’t do it. Are we clear?” The children avoid eye contact with their dad immediately, hoping that he wouldn’t press further, but after more than ten minutes of that uncomfortable intense, unfaltering glare burning a hole in the side of their heads, they had no choice but to silently nod and agree to his conditions.

Somewhere through the winding list of strange do-nots, Jo with his eyes bulging from fear and confusion interrupted quietly, “Brother, are you sure that these are human children and not wild beasts?”

Iku turns to him with a super confident smile and a thumbs-up, “Don’t worry. I have them well-tamed.” Jo could feel the cold sweat sliding down his back trying to decipher what exactly those words meant.

Soon afterwards the mood got very jovial as fresh bread and fragrant chicken herb soup were brought to the table and devoured in the blink of an eye, Iku was watching his starving beasts barely giving themselves time to chew and swallow before shoveling their gaping mouths with a shameful amount of food again with a mix of restrained irritation and concern, unsure whether he wanted to admonish them for being absolute embarrassments or just give them up for adoption. He was conflicted because he was both worried they were going to choke to death but also just mere seconds away from wrapping his hands around their necks and strangling them himself.

The mouth watering fragrance of the stomach-filling food wafted through the air, the windows were opened to taste the salty aroma lingering in the free-spirited gentle breeze, and the scenery outside was picturesque. But no matter how many times he furtively glanced at Seven between dangerously large mouthfuls of food, Nine couldn’t catch even a sliver of a shadow of the old carefree and always smiling Seven in the dejected older teen nibbling at his bread like an overstuffed aristocrat. Neither the food nor the scenery could cheer him up.

His family was planning to stay a few days with Ermir’s family and then journey to the Divine Temple of the God of Fortune, the official family god worshipped on Tai’s side of the family, before journeying back to Bima. Nine, being the youngest, wasn’t really one to snoop and stick his nose into his siblings’ businesses but he had heard snippets here and there of what was ailing Seven from Iliana, a blabbermouth who had a hard time keeping anything secret for long.

According to Iliana, “Seven has a broken heart. Haven’t you noticed how lifeless he looks? Going around every day looking about as emotionless as a corpse, no appetite, eyes so dead even the god of death would flee the other way, snapping at the smallest things. In my experience there are only two things that can make someone like that: either he’s in love or he’s dying.” Hearing this from his sister, at that time Nine had to wonder why love and death would resemble each other this closely in Seven’s case. When he looked at his parents or his uncles or any other loving couples he came across in Bima and Sarak they never carried that lovelorn expression. But the adolescent 15 year old had only just come to acknowledge romance after spending his boyhood prioritizing mischief and friendship so he had no answer.

Although the children rarely liked to brag, Tai’s side of the family had a lot of money and land which was rare in these times and Tai’s parents -their grandparents on that side- had always loved to spoil their grandkids. This much was apparent because as soon as each child was born and named they would present them with a personal piece of a scenic lot of land but Tai himself had never wholeheartedly relied on his family’s wealth and Iku also could never get comfortable with their wealth given his modest upbringing.

One sunny day, when Iku was just a young unmated vegetable seller- and occasional gambler-vending in Sarak’s bustling outdoor food market, a haggard Alpha who had an obviously strong Bima accent approached his busy cart with something of a sour look. He later learned that Tai was a wandering temple student who had exchanged the restraints of monkhood for the freedom to roam and flirt. Approaching his cart of fresh red tomatoes prickling with flavor with something of an attitude, Iku couldn’t help but rudely reciprocate with a dour expression. “You stand there and peddle these crappy tomatoes for such a high price. If I pay to buy just one tomato from you, the only other thing I would be able to afford to eat with it is sand.”

Iku had to stop and wonder what sort of nonsense this was right off the start at the start of such a nice day, “Crappy? Sir, you must be blind so let me enlighten you. You will not find tomatoes like this anywhere else even if you search this whole country from top to bottom and if I am confident to death of the quality of my produce then why shouldn’t I be allowed to sell them at whatever prices I set? Who are you to haggle with me? If you don’t want to buy them then don’t.” Arguments breaking out over the price or quality of the products in the marketplace happened every other minute so as this was nothing out of the usual, passersby kept on with their business as the two people continued to lash each other back and forth with their tongues.

Tai, frown deepening, “Haggle? Who is? I am only here to warn others not to be ripped off by you.” The more nosier of passersby purposely walking slower to catch parts of the conversation snicker to themselves. A handsome Alpha from Bima intentionally bothering a beautiful Omega in Sarak in the middle of a marketplace could not be a mere coincidence. If this wasn’t the beginning of a love story then they didn’t know what else it could be.

Eventually, after thrashing each other verbally, Tai turned his nose to the exuberantly red tomatoes and Iku brushed the tip of his nose as Tai was leaving, which either meant he was washing his hands of the nuisance or cursing the nuisance to never return, and worked hard to sell the rest of his produce before dark to earn money for his family consisting of five brothers, three sisters and his parents.

What Iku thought was a one-time encounter with a troublesome customer became a daily thing. Even if he was only a young man, through his long experience as a market vendor, he knew that the Biman Alpha had a charismatic charm. But that still did not mean he would lower the prices of his vegetables for him. They had become famously well-known for their daily routine of “dog barking at cat.” Tai would come to the market the minute it opened in the early hours of dawn and the vendors had begun to set up to the minute it closed and all the vendors had packed up for the night just keeping Iku busy with nonsensical arguments about irrelevant things. They had really become that uselessly famous.

This routine went on for two whole years. Iku began to complain that because of Tai keeping him occupied, he often missed dinner, which as almost everyone expected, eventually led Tai to ask him to dinner to “discuss lowering the prices of these damn vegetables.”

From then on, they would have dinner together. Dinner eventually extended to include breakfast. Breakfast eventually extended to include lunch. Meeting at the marketplace eventually became living together in the same house in Bima. It was only after their first child was born that Tai admitted that from the beginning he was attracted to the tall Omega’s brunette locks and serious hazel eyes that he wanted to bother him a little with a show of dissatisfaction over his prices.

After the feeding frenzy had concluded, Iku stood over his self-made circus, directing them to clear the table and wash the dishes for their uncle who’d only given birth five months ago all the while threatening them with his trusty wooden discipline ladle in his back pocket. He had unabashedly carried it all the way from Bima. Meanwhile, Tai capitalized on the opportunity to deepen his relationship with Ermir. Iku and Jo sat around the now quiet and cleared exquisitely carved mahogany dining table simply relishing the peace and quiet. Iku had a satiating cup of steaming hot dark black tea cooling in front of him and Jo was nestling a hungry Milly in his arms, removing one side of his top robe while guiding the infant to his nipple as he coos to his five month old daughter with every drop of love in his heart.

Iku watches with nostalgia tugging at his heartstrings, remembering when his children were as young and cute and...human...and less like they were raised in the wilderness by coyotes. “Everyone’s ate already so now it’s little Milly’s turn. You were sleeping so soundly today. Were you happy to meet your cousins again? You were so small the last time they saw but little Milly got to show them how big she grew.” Milly was an agreeable and easy to manage child, not the type to throw tantrums and as Jo cooed sweetly to her she happily giggled and clutched his finger as she fed greedily, the edges of her mouth tricking with small drops of white milk. Meeting Iku’s heartwarming eyes made Jo feel a little embarrassed but he still returned a small shy smile. Iku could see why his brother had fallen for the pure and wholesome Beta.

On the other side of the house which were where the children’s rooms were, Daria had already found her way into her bed stuffed full of soft hay to collapse on after the hearty meal they had just consumed. In the next room over Iliana’s soft hums drift melodically throughout the aerated room, the oldest following the example of her younger sister and also relaxing on her own soft bed as she twists the golden band on her ring finger with a pleased smile on her face. With all the peace and quiet, she couldn’t help missing her feisty mate back home who would probably welcome her back with an iron pan at the foyer. Not that they were in the middle of a lover’s quarrel, just that her Alpha mate wanted to spend some romantic time alone with her but Iliana had decided to accompany her family on the temple pilgrimage since it’s been a staple family tradition since she was old enough to walk. But imagining that once the iron pan assault had passed there would come a barrage of kisses made her heart feel so light she couldn’t control herself from chortling every now and then.

Nine lays on his back on his soft hay bed, staring at the high ceiling, his mind and body totally after ease now that his stomach was full. Drawing constellations and images with his pointer finger keeps him entertained for some time but he eventually grows tired of it. He ventures down the wide hall and stops in front of Seven’s room. Seeing Seven’s reaction when he’d noticed Nine standing across from him, one would think he was extremely inconvenienced with Nine’s terrible timing. Which he really was as he glared, taken aback with his one foot dangling out the window ready to leap out.

With their parents and uncles on the other side of the house now drinking merrily and the nosy sisters resting off the long journey in their rooms, Seven had planned to sneak out. But now he was caught red-handed by Nine. Not wanting to upset his brother, Nine quickly turns back around to generously leave and pretend he never saw anything. He and his siblings had always had a close relationship; well, more accurately he had always had a close relationship with Seven as they were both just bullied prey to two older sisters. However, just as he’s about to leave, Seven pauses, thinking long and hard for a short time then calls out to him and waves him over, “Come on. You’re coming with me.”

Although Seven’s demeanor was still unlike his usual self, but at least he didn’t mind or hate being with his younger brother. As Nine thinks of it from that perspective a huge smile breaks out on the younger teen’s face. Within the next minute they both jump out a few stories and land on the solid ground. Feeling the excitement of going on a secret adventure without anyone knowing making the experience all the more irresistible sets his heart throbbing. “Where are we going, Sev?” Nine squeaks out in a cracked voice. Noticing that his voice cracked, he rubs his throat, feeling a little self-conscious and embarrassed.

But Seven seems to find it amusing, and soon replies with, “Just shut up and come. If you don’t want to, then don’t.” Nine can tell Seven was smiling because there was mirth and teasing in his voice even though he was trailing behind his older brother as he’d always done and could only see his back. Soon after the jolly happiness gave way to fear and trepidation of their dad finding out about their late night adventure. Cold sweat soaked the back of the Nine’s top robe.


	2. The God of Love

As they were walking down the paved roads leading to the entertainment district of the city, the glorious ball of yellow that had ruled over the expansive blue skies triumphantly during the daytime now dyed the world seamlessly in rich blended shades of pale violet, tangerine, magenta and crimson with twinkling specks of luminous diamond-like stars flickering across the looming velvety darkness, reflecting the conjoined shadows of two brothers and the silhouettes of raven black birds flapping their wings while the slowly dying sun sank lower and lower into the earth.

Seven was only intending to walk the bright lit streets to clear his head and savor the cool night air on his face. Even though he was heartsick he was naturally the type to keep all of his pain inside. After a very long while of walking, the flood of incandescent dazzling city lights illuminating the heart of the city greets the weary teens. All their eyes could capture wherever they looked was a sea of people enthralled in a convivial atmosphere of drinking, laughing, and liveliness. A beaming city ignited by countless lights roaring with vitality.

Allowing the playful breeze to tease his hair and warm fingertips, Seven glances at the stretching miles of stalls lining the road selling nearly everything imaginable under the sun. From perfectly spiced delicacies to skillfully crafted lovely jewels, clothes, and adornments to be gifted to a most beloved. Taking a look back at the 15 year old clearly fazed by the overwhelming lights and jubilant crowds and thrumming drum music sounding from the ivory sand beach on the outlier of the city, Seven calls back to him snickering, “What do you think? Doesn’t it make you feel alive?”

Brandishing his mischievous grin, Nine replies, “I’ve already been here with Kiril.” Kiril is Nine’s best friend and the two were inseparable devils who brought mischief and trouble trailing behind them wherever they went. Whether it be cutting temple school together to gather a group of friends to go skinny dipping at the waterfall or stealing a horse from Kiril family’s horse breeding farm for an impromptu adventure through Bima. “But we only sneaked here in the day when dad wasn’t looking. It looks different at night.”

Nine could spot several Biman Alphas and Betas boldly hitting on Sarak beauties and for every try there was rejection. He could easily tell they were from Bima because of their strong accents. Watching the series of playful rejections, Nine could see it was like a devilish game between the two parties where one would advance and the other would retreat. Sarak’s Omegas and Betas were raised from birth to always value their chastity and integrity above all else thus why they played coy toward every flirtatious advance and since Sarak was romantically known as the Land of Plentiful Beauties, they were well accustomed to dealing with Alphas trying to pick them up left and right, day and night. But the pursuing Biman Alphas’ persistence never waned with the countless rejections, believing that eventually they would give in to their charms.

But even though they were rejecting, Sarian Omegas did not particularly dislike the advances since they were natural-born pure romantics at heart. Since they were just young children, they had always been told such scintillating and romantic love stories so even their softly-spoken rejections did not really hold much weight. The Omegas of Sarak loved to play hard to get and the Alphas of Bima were persistent to a fault, practically making them a match made in Heaven as the love prophecy stated. On top of that, the Omegas were taught to be passive in waiting for the Alphas to make the first move, never to be the ones to reach out first.

Because Omegas were held to such a high social standard, Alphas could not publicly act out of line with them. Not that the Alphas of Bima would do anything to harm or harass them, all of them being taught from very young ages to respectfully treat Omegas as kindly as possible. But there were also restrictions placed on Omegas. No one would bat an eye over an Omega dating but if an unmated Omega were to have sex before they paired with that person as their mate they would lose their value and be looked down upon in society. Rumors and gossip spread faster than the truth and the catchphrase “The gods are always watching” was drilled subconsciously in impressionable Omegas’ mind. In fact, dating and finding love were highly encouraged in Sarak and Bima’s romantic culture but everything but sex was viewed positively.

The reason for this is while kissing, hand holding, and other romantic things were permissible, if an Omega were to offer their virginity to someone they believe is their fated pair but then it turns out that that wasn’t the case their body would be tainted and no other Alpha would be interested in pairing with them, thus turning them into a Black Hand: socially outcast Omegas who’ve lost their virtue.

Seven and Nine reach the tavern Seven was planning to sneak out to. Once they get seated, a pretty barmaid places frothing mugs of dark brown beer before both of them. Sending Seven a questioning look, trying to see whether Seven actually expected him to drink alcohol, “You do know that I can’t drink yet?”

From how fast Seven was gulping down his mug, Nine could see that he was an experienced drinker and quite good at holding his alcohol. Seven temporarily pauses from taking unrestrained gulps, “Don’t be a wimp. You’re already 15. You know in Jiendai, as soon as those bastards sprout their first pubic hairs, their fathers drag them around all night at taverns and brothels. They become adults in just one day. Look at them compared to you. 'I'm just a little baby. I can't drink.'”

Shooting the younger Alpha a deadly threatening look, Nine holds his breath and rashly swallows a large gulp of his beer just so Seven would stop making fun of him. But regrets it immediately afterwards. The strong, burning alcohol sears the back of his throat and he chokes, causing a major coughing fit with burning hot tears stinging his eyes. The other customers amusedly stare at Seven’s heartless laughing over Nine’s coughing fit, tears of laughter coming from Seven’s eyes while tears of pain stream from Nine’s eyes. “See, that wasn’t so bad, right? Now you’ve tasted alcohol. Next time I’ll take you to a brothel. You have to develop some bed skills if you don’t want to humiliate yourself when you have sex. You wouldn’t want to spend years wooing an Omega only to one night be told that you suck in bed.”

While the last tremors of laughter leave Seven’s body, Nine glances around the tavern and notices yet another handful of Alphas hitting on Omegas, making him curious overall. “Sev, why is it that all our Alphas come flocking to Sarak and all of Sarak’s Alphas go flocking to Bima just for romance? Is love really that important?”

Seven scoffs, “It’s only because you’re still a kid that you think that way.” Finishing his mug of bitter beer, he points to a Beta trying his luck with an Omega and striking out. “Everyone keeps chasing love because besides food and water, it’s the only thing keeping us alive. More like, it makes our lives worth living or something deeply philosophical.” He scratches his head in slight frustration, unable to adequately describe the importance of love. "How the hell am I supposed to know.? Do I look like a philosopher? Always asking stupid questions, this stupid bastard.”

Nine could hear the slight drunken drawl in Seven’s voice as he continued, “But these Sarak Omegas, they are just too nice even when they’re rejecting you. They only say ‘No, Brother, I’m not interested’ or ‘Please don’t bother me anymore’ in such a nice, sweet way. But our Omegas in Bima…” Nine joins in the laughter, knowing full well where Seven was going with this. “Remember that one time that pushy Alpha really tried picking up Daria.”

Daria was a Bima raised Omega through and through. She never held back the strength of her words unlike the soft-spoken Omegas of Sarak. “Before he even got to asking her out, she said ‘You really have some nerve to be talking to me. Just who do you think you are?' and the look on his face,” drunk tavern customers peer at the hysterically cackling brothers, “even though he was so confident and arrogant at the beginning he started to rapidly stutter and then lost his balance and fell face first into a pile of manure. His friends had to pull that defeated bastard home in a hand cart.”

Nine could feel that his throat was going hoarse from laughing so hard. Bima’s Omegas were indeed very brash and brazenly outspoken. When they rejected an advance they really meant it unlike Sarak’s Omegas who did so at first because they didn’t want to be seen as too easy or loose but after the pursuer tried a few more times then they would acquiesce. "But just because they’re nice doesn’t mean you can cross the line with them. If an Omega feels like you are harassing them, they can have you be detained by their country’s official regulators. There’s only so much they will tolerate until they see you as a disrespectful pig You know those huge poles in the middle of the markets and bazaars?”

Nine nods his head meekly. He could feel a bit of a heady buzz coming over him. “They use those for typing up rapists, stalkers, harassers, and abusers.. Depending on the severity of your crimes, your punishment can go anywhere from stripped and tied naked for everyone to laugh at or having everywhere dump rotten potatoes, fish heads, any disgusting pungent thing they can find to dump on you. But that’s only for light offenders. For rapists, they get beat to such a bloody barely recognizable pulp by everyone in the marketplace that their own parents wouldn’t recognize them. Because they’re lower than garbage.” At this point, Seven was practically rambling with half-hooded eyes.

Now that the booze was starting to work though his body, Nine was starting to feel light-headed and a bit bold. “If everyone keeps chasing love, then does that mean love is a good thing?” he asks probingly as he remembers Iliana’s words.

“Sometimes it feels good to fall in love and other times it hurts worse than being stabbed through the heart with a rusty knife.” The beer was also starting to course through Seven, his words becoming more passionate. “These Omegas...they’re like poison. Once you fall too deep, you’ve already lost. That’s why you shouldn’t just give too much of yourself away to one person.Even if you love them, sometimes that love becomes poisonous and suffocates you slowly from the inside out. Hmph, I’ve had enough of them all no matter how beautiful or nice they are. Sarak really knows how to raise some heartless snakes.” A hurt expression of mixed anger and sadness flash across Seven’s face.

Feeling a little bolder than usual, Nine finally asks the question that’s been eating away at him since his family arrived in Sarak. Even though he didn’t know the full story or even half of the story, he desperately wanted to understand the reason behind Seven being like a lifeless corpse for the last six months. “Is that what happened...between you and Vasili?” Nine almost wanted to duck under the table or shield his head just in case a punch was heading his way. He didn’t know how Seven was going to react.

Hearing Vasili’s name, Seven felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped on him. “What do you know about…?” A few seconds later, the brief shock had worn off. “Never mind. Don’t mention him again.” Hearing the low warning, Nine decides to just let the heartbroken teen drink himself drunk as he intended to do from the beginning without bothering him with any more of his inane questions. Seven drinks in lonely silence while Nine brings up stupid and funny stories from the past, gradually getting more used to the bitter beer sip by sip.

Sneaking back at the crack of dawn and pretending to be asleep in their beds when in fact they were passed out was far easier than Nine had imagined. Or so he thought. No matter how smart the teen boys thought they were, Iku was always a step ahead of them. As soon as he heard the loud thunk coming from the boys’ side he already knew what they were up to and also knew that if he went in their rooms to check he would definitely be able to smell alcohol on their breaths. He cackles maniacally while preparing himself a hot cup of soothing, fragrant early morning coffee. He couldn’t wait for the two to wake up and face his discipline ladle beat-down.

One hour passed and then many more followed. The strong unrelenting glare of the midday sun was beaming down harshly. The entire house minus the two teens who had spent their entire night drinking were sitting around the mahogany dining table and enjoying a light lunch before preparing for their market visit. Nine wandered into the kitchen looking and feeling like a tornado swept him over last night. Saying his hair looked like a rat’s nest and his face a mess would be too kind. His throbbing head felt like it was being cleaved in two, his throat burning like he’d just swallowed a vat of bubbling lava. Seeing his deathly condition as he wobbled weakly to the table, Iku decided to hold off on the beating until the boy was at least somewhat sober and instead considerately places a steaming bowl of congee in front of him.

Nine couldn’t withstand the strong rays of sunlight streaming in through the windows because of his killer hangover. Holding his squinting eyes, he looks to see Jo asking Iliana the question everyone wanted to ask. “So, what’s the deal with Seven? He seems...his mood is not as good as it usually is.” Jo says, carefully choosing his words sensitively. "Everyone has noticed he is not his usual self and when we ask about Vasili, he doesn’t say too much. Are things not going well?”

Iku huffs at the side, waving around his ladle, “Hah, that child has always been the type to hold everything in. If he would just speak what’s in his heart, he would feel so much more free.” He stares at Tai with an unhidden accusatory glare. “He probably gets it from your dad, that tight-lipped judgemental man and his secretive ways. Always judging and hating quietly.” Tai returns an incredulous look at the unexpected accusation which Iku ignores. “Illy, do you know anything?”

Iliana put down her spoonful of food, “Well, I probably know the most. But you know how sensitive that bastard is. If I go around telling his business… but it needs to be said.” Iliana starts out as if she really wasn’t waiting for a chance to publish Seven’s business. “So, everyone knows Vasili, right? That one really beautiful Omega that we somehow always ‘coincidentally’ end up running into when we reach the temple. I can’t even fathom how that bastard of ours thought he was tricking us, as if we wouldn’t figure out they are obviously lovers. But just so that everyone understands, let me start from the beginning.”

Nine couldn’t particularly remember Vasili because he had never been too believing of the gods, so whenever his family made temple pilgrimages unless Iku was watching him like a hawk or had tied Nine to his wrist, the boy would run off somewhere to have fun until his family finished. Afterwards, once Iku got a hold of him, he would get such a merciless beating that he would have to breathe through his ass for months.

Nine slowly forces down spoonfuls of the congee, listening in anticipation. “Vasili’s parents don’t like Seven. Not because of Seven personally, it has to do with a debt over Vasili. He was born with a weak heart so his condition has always been very fragile. When he was just an infant, his parents spent no small amount trying to cure his weak condition. Trying everything from witch potions, to scam remedies, herbal medicines. And it must be said that they were just a poor elderly Beta couple with just a meager amount to their names so they couldn’t have any more kids nor could they easily afford taking care of Vasili’s illness. They tried everything under the sun but nothing ever worked. Just with a little playing with the other kids or if he was scared too unexpectedly or just a little bit too excited over something, he would start wheezing and coughing uncontrollably to the point that his entire body would convulse. He looks fine when you see him but really, just being alive is almost too much for him, that poor boy.”

Everyone listens attentively, fully engrossed, “So his parents’ last ditch attempt was to take him to a somewhat decent quack doctor in Manzar. Although this quack bastard did have some skills, he was known far and wide for being a perverted coot who liked young boys. Miraculously, his condition improved a little compared to before. But because his parents were so grateful their only child was saved but didn’t have any money to pay that doctor, the quack bastard instead asked them for this: for them to sell their son to him when Vasili came of age as their payment. His parents couldn’t really refuse because the debt for the treatment was too much for them to handle so they agreed. They’d hoped that the doctor would’ve forgotten as time went by but it seems that wasn’t the case. Lately that man had been coming around to make good on his promise. And each time he visited he’d try to get himself alone with Vasili or just generally harass the poor boy in too many disgusting ways to divulge. Before they started dating, Seven never knew that his parents made that promise and now that Vasili’s parents were forcing him to go to Manzar to be that old man’s bride or sex slave or whatever, It was a matter of pride and honor for Vasili’s parents. Seven stepped in and practically said they would have to send him away over his dead body. The two were so madly in love regardless of what tricks or traps Vasili’s parents set up, Seven would absolutely not stay away from him. So then…”

Iliana pauses dramatically, perhaps trying to remember how the story continued or wondering if it was appropriate to disclose the rest. Everyone stares at her, too curious to hear the rest. After scratching the tip of her nose a few times, Iliana energetically continues again, “So then the two made a plan to secretly elope. 'Meet me here at this time on this day, bring only your essentials, and let’s run away together to wherever with only love to feed our stomachs and love to keep us warm at night.’ That sort of thing. But the day they planned to elope, Vasili never showed up. He just left Seven waiting like an abandoned puppy. That poor bastard brother of ours was kept waiting for an entire day. Just rooted in the same spot for a whole day, too afraid to leave that spot to go find something to eat or piss because he was scared he and Vasili would miss each other. It’s not that his parents prevented him from running away with Seven in any way. They didn’t even know they planned to elope. Vasili himself... just never showed up for whatever reason and Seven realized that he got abandoned and betrayed heartlessly just like that. That’s when things started going sour between them. As far as I know, after some time passed Vasili did try explaining why he never showed up but we all know how stubborn and sensitive Sev is.”

Iliana sighs in exasperation, “Wrong him just once and you’ve already become a mortal enemy to him. He never forgives and rarely forgets. Every time Vasili came to speak to him about what happened, Seven wouldn’t even give him the time of day and that’s just when he was being nice. Other times, he would spit at his feet or curse him so badly anyone listening would get heartburn. So when Seven said he felt disgusted just looking at him, Vasili tried appeasing his anger through letters. But, as we all know…” Iliana sighs in dejection, all of their expressions depressed and anguished now that they knew why Seven couldn’t even force himself to fake a smile for the last half year.

Everyone knew about Seven and the letters. Every time Seven received a letter from Vasili, if he didn’t take it outside and stomp the snowy white sheet into the ground until it became the same color as the earth then he would decimate it into so many minuscule shreds then spit on the white pieces of confetti littering the ground. He couldn’t even stand seeing or hearing Vasili’s name. But it seems that he didn’t necessarily just blindly tear up each and every single letter. Every now and then Iliana would catch him quickly and furtively scanning a letter, looking a little hurt and forlorn. But after seeing his outrage towards the letters so many times, she had finally wringed the full details out of him thus how she came to know about Seven’s pain.

The last time Seven had seen Vasili, he was living on the outlying borders of Sol Mahir, a prosperous and socially advanced kingdom boasting vast territories, abundant resources and content citizens, to recuperate his health. Sol Mahir borders Bima while Bima borders Sarak, thus encouraging good relations between the three countries due to proximity. It seems that in one of those few letters Seven didn’t have the heart to destroy, Vasili wrote that he would be moving back to Sarak because his health wasn’t too good. Thus, why Seven hated the idea of coming to Sarak but because his religious family had always had a tradition of making a temple pilgrimage to show their gratitude for all the blessings they’ve received, he couldn’t back out even if he wanted to.

Everyone was silent, wallowing in a mixture of anger towards Seven for keeping all this pain to himself and disappointment towards themselves for not being more persistent in trying to hear the full story from Seven. They just wanted to be loving and supportive for him and just comfort him but it was unfortunately just a part of Seven’s stoic nature to suffer alone and in the dark.

At this time, Seven had woken up and was staggering to the table where everyone was somberly gathered, which he found peculiar since when everyone gathered they were usually merry and boisterous. His hangover was considerably less painful than Nine’s since he was used to drinking often on the salt trading ship so his head was perfectly clear, which was how he noticed his parents and his uncles refusing to make eye contact. That was suspicious in and of itself but what was even more suspicious was Nine and Daria who flat out secretively glanced at him every few seconds.

They were all behaving suspiciously and it didn’t take long to figure out why as he stared dead at Iliana. Iliana stared back just as hostile. “Who told you to run your big mouth? You just can’t resist spewing everyone’s business, can you?” his tone ringed with confrontation.

Ermir quickly intercepts, “No need to be so aggressive, Sev. In fact, it’s good that we all know now. That you were holding in something so painful deep inside for so long, we only wish you would’ve told us earlier. We’re your family and we love you. You see, there’s no one person who suffers just alone. If someone you love is suffering then you suffer that same pain too. Sometimes it’s okay to not be so stoic, you know. If you feel like crying or saying it hurts, then you don’t have to keep holding it in.”

However, it seemed like Ermir’s sincere speech went right through Seven still staring at Iliana, his eyes burning with rage. “It wasn’t your place to say anything. If I want to keep my business to myself, then I will. Whether I need to be comforted or get these heavy feelings off my chest, wouldn’t I know it best myself? Just who gave you the balls to act so high and mighty over someone else’s issues?”

With just those few provoking words, the pot boils over. Iliana shouts back, “So what if I told everyone the thing eating away at you?! Did I do anything wrong or bad? Don’t we have the right to know what’s been killing you as your family? We’re your family, it’s not like we’re some random strangers who picked you up off the streets. You have the balls to get so mad at me over such a tiny matter. Hmph, you really think you’re so mature and such a grown up but look at how you’re making everyone so worried about you. Until when do we have to wait to ask you about your issues? If you would just open your fucking mouth every now and then and tell us what’s wrong, will you die or will you combust into ashes? Which is it?!”

Seven throws his stool back. His anger was reaching a boiling point and no one knew how to get involved now that tempers were flaring white hot on both sides. “Even if I don’t say anything, why is it your place to speak for me?”

Iliana also throws her stool back in rage, “You know what, I was holding back on saying this but someone has to say it to you! The fact that you got abandoned can’t be changed but don’t you think the way you’re responding is too fucking shameful to even tolerate. In fact, the way you’re so narrow-minded and shallow is embarrassing. Even if Vasili did betray you, did you ever care enough to properly hear his side of the story? Even though you say you loved him so much you apparently didn’t love him enough to ask why he didn’t show up. You just made up your own answers and assumed whatever you wanted. Did you ever think that maybe he couldn’t just abandon his elderly parents just to be with you? How much would you have had to give up compared to him? Give up everything he knows and loves for you? Just what do you think Vasili is-- no, what do you think all Omegas are?! Some toy for you to play with that comes when you say come and leaves when you say go? Just follows blindly behind you, at your whim and mercy, expected to drop everything at the drop of a hat when you say so and place their future in the hands of some irresponsible, immature, stupid little bastard!?”

Seven lunges across the table. Nine and Tai, being closer to him, quickly intercept. The 20 year old Alpha was breathing heavily, his chest rapidly heaving up and down, his teeth grinding in fury. “You don’t even know the whole story. Why don’t you just do yourself a favor and only worry about your wife! It’s a wonder she even has enough patience to put up with a blabbermouth like you.”

“Don’t bring up personal things. Who do you think you are? Just because you’re mad at him, it doesn't mean you need to take it out on me. Acting like some helpless tortured prisoner, if you want him back then go get him back! No one’s stopping you.”

“I already said I can’t stand him, didn’t I? Anyone who mentions his name in front of me, be prepared to lose your relation to me. Whether he dies or…” Seven starts hyperventilating, unable to finish his words. Just finishing his sentence felt like it was enough to stop his heart. While he was angry to the point of almost thoroughly hating Vasili. But imagining him dead or so easily wishing him dead? He couldn’t even imagine such a cold, barren world. Fighting through the breathlessness and guilt, “dies or gets whored out…” he tries to push through the guilt and sadness and anger gnawing at him, chilling his heart like a fragile flower in the middle of a subzero blizzard. “...I wouldn’t...care.”

Pushing himself to say words he didn’t mean, Seven clutches at his heart getting excruciatingly squeezed until his face turned blue and he was now full on wheezing pathetically for breath. Iku soundlessly uprights the stools, someone had to regain control before Seven’s words almost suffocated him to death. “Sev, just breathe, baby” he coos sweetly and slowly. Ermir and Daria join in on coaching Seven to regain his breathing slowly. Iliana was wrecked with feelings of guilt and remorse, the female Alpha who instigated the blow up making herself small.

Nine couldn’t stop staring at Seven. Mostly out of concern that his brother’s words would really choke him to death but more so astounded that love could be so strong that Seven cursing Vasili was the same as Seven cursing himself. The weight of his words were literally physically crushing him.

“Both of you sit down and eat your food. We are not animals.” Listening to his unshaken, commanding tone, the kids return to gloomily finishing their meals without further incident. But the tension was still thick in the air. Tai clasps Iku’s hand. While the Omega was long since used to taming the beasts, witnessing a fight almost break out no longer fazed him but it still hurt his heart to see his kids fighting. Even though his calm expression did not show that, Tai knew his mate inside and out. Everything was so tense that punishing the teens for sneaking out last night flew right out of Iku’s mind.

The rest of the day continued peacefully unlike the events of earlier that day. The family was strolling along the marketplace, seeing so many exotic stalls lining the road vending exciting delicacies of all sizes, shapes, and colors, some local and others from strange faraway lands.

Some stalls were vending succinct freshly harvested fruits and vegetables with their vibrantly colorful surfaces shimmering with dews of transparent water drops. Some stalls were displaying hung up on hooks their freshly caught fishes and meats of all kinds from wild game to tame succulent options like unlucky hares whose speed failed them or fat pheasants or feather-plucked chickens.

Some stalls were selling clothes and shoes in fashions both familiar and strange, bringing exciting colors and exhilarating designs from lands faraway. The bustling market was a mingle of smells, flavors, colors, interactions. The people of Sarak were always friendly and had a genial smile on their faces and even more so welcoming towards their Biman counterparts, sharing a sense of camaraderie and oneness with Bima.

Fluttering kites with gracefully designed patterns were hung up on display as the annual Kite Festival was just in a few days. The Kite Festival was celebrated in a gloriously expansive meadow. Large families would come out to eat under the sun on blankets, affectionate lovers would come to enjoy the heavenly sight together, energetic children would send their best kites into the free skies like warriors sent to battle, their faces exuding limitless joy at getting to eat their favorites foods, enjoy spending time with their beloved families, and getting to play to their heart’s content. It was a happy day for smiling, laughing, and loving.

Seeing the gleeful colors of the beautiful kites and the equally gleeful smiles blooming on the faces of the enthusiastically running children nearly falling over themselves to look at them, Seven couldn’t help but break out in a lighthearted smile too. Some children were eagerly pulling and shoving their parents holding money pouches to the kite stall, begging and pleading to be bought their desired kite.

Seven and Iliana were intentionally separated so the mood was lighter. Iliana was strolling alone at first but when she checked to her side, Daria had just finished coldly rejecting a Sarak Alpha who looked a bit more than traumatized, so Iliana decided to protectively keep her younger Omega sister close to her and the two were checking out stall after stall with peaking interest and amusement. It seemed the female Alpha was having too much fun to care anymore about the blow up earlier but Seven was dragging his feet towards the back of the group still grumpily sulking.

Jo was casually strolling alongside his husband while Ermir was cradling the soundly sleeping securely bundled Milly in his arms. Every now and then the excited Beta would point here and there at something amusing or exciting, the newly paired couple laughing happily and smiling brightly and occasionally stealing pecks as if they were the only people in the world. It was a heart-lifting sight. Iku was hanging on Tai’s arm, the long time paired couple romantically gazing into each other’s eyes every so often and falling even deeper in love at the place where they first fell in love. Tai would say something silly in Iku’s ear and Iku would smack him on the arm but still reward the Alpha with a hearty laugh. Nine was strolling in front of them, observing his uncles’ love in front and his parents’ love behind, which was by no means a rarity since his parents were always lovingly touching each other even back home, and the 15 year old was starting to feel something he couldn’t explain.

Iku pulls the pondering teen closer to him and lovingly strokes the back of his dark black hair, one hand patting his son and the other clutching his handsome husband. Seven was dallying and had fallen a few feet behind everyone, giving precursory glances flittering from stall to stall but none of them holding his interest. Suddenly, a strained voice calls out, “Sev!” Seven turns around quickly, caught off guard by the suddenness, his expression a bit alarmed and confused.

However, as soon as he sees who it is, if before he looked grumpy now he looked furious. His mood was worse than a black cloud. He whips his head around with a loud suck of his teeth, irritation clear as day furrowing his brows. The one who called out to Seven was a very handsome young man who looked to be around Seven’s age wearing a beige straw sun hat protecting him from the hot sun. He was very beautiful in the way that Sarak’s beauties were with his ivory complexion, small button nose, his hair poking out from underneath the sun hat was light auburn, his eyes were a gentle bluish-green like round, smooth jade marbles, and he had a meek demeanor. But in this moment he looked pretty resolute about talking to Seven. Because of the intensity and loudness of Vasili’s call, the entire family was suddenly shocked and attentively looked to see who called Seven. Nine could infer who this was easily and was almost afraid Seven was going to spit at the Omega’s feet. Now that Nine was looking closer, rather than say Vasili had a light complexion, it would be more accurate to say that he was worryingly pallid.

Seven looked like he wanted to walk away. To have to hear Vasili's name earlier was already more than enough to ruin his mood for the entire day. As if that wasn’t bad enough, now the person himself was standing in front of him. Seven knew that they’d run into each other sooner or later. Vasili knew the neighborhood his uncles lived in, and he knew the spots Seven loved to frequent or escape to when he needed to get some space. It was only a matter of time before they came face to face.

Vasili took small nervous steps and his hands were shaking as he approached Seven. Despite his desperate resolve to clarify things with Seven, Seven looked like he absolutely couldn’t stand the sight of him. With every step forward Vasili took, Seven’s expression got colder and colder. Clutching onto the Alpha arms, Vasili’s words come out probably a bit faster than he intended, “I knew that we’d meet eventually. Your sister sent me a letter saying you were coming here too.” Seven angrily looks to Iliana.

Who else but a busybody like her would forcefully involve herself with other people’s relationships. She did indeed send a letter to Vasili a while back after Seven had told her about the things that happened between them. Knowing her brother’s unforgiving nature, she took it into her own hands to try to reconcile them otherwise Seven would keep avoiding and ignoring him forever. “Now that you’re here, there’s a lot of things I want to tell you.” Vasili pauses, his voice starting to break from the emotions. “I’m not saying I deserve to be forgiven but-let’s just talk. At least hear me out just this one last time?”

Seven aggressively jerks his arm back, his face as cold as stone. “You’re really annoying, you know. Could you stop chasing after me like a dog at every turn? I’m tired of seeing your face. I’m already done with you so do me a favor and hurry up and disappear.” The Alpha turns away after delivering his scathing words. Although Vasili does stumble a step back from the verbal assault, he desperately tries again, not caring about how pathetic or shameless he looked.

Now some people going about their business in the marketplace had stopped out of curiosity. A small crowd was starting to gather to watch the spectacle. Vasili tries again, “I-I won’t. Not until you talk to me. What do you mean by ‘done with me’? I don’t understand.”

Seven quickly cuts him off. “Which part was hard to understand? When I say I’m done with you it means I don’t want to see you anymore. Don't approach me either. What did I ever do to be harassed like this by you? Between you and me, who’s the one who was wronged? So could you stop looking at me like I’m some irresponsible bastard who ran out on you after slipping into your pants?” Anyone could tell from Vasili’s blanched expression that he had no guard against Seven’s strong words. “Do you understand now?” His body was shaking as if his knees would give out any second just from receiving the harsh insults. With that, Seven leaves him the stunned youth rooted to the spot.

Regardless of the overwhelming pain in his heart, Vasili starts again, fueled by love or desperation or most likely both. “Y-you don’t really mean that. I know you too well. You’re lying-”

Before he can say any more, the crowd starts chattering and gossiping disapprovingly. Hushed criticisms and pointed stares land on Vasili.

“He really is too shameless. Hounding after an Alpha to this point.. If he doesn’t want to be with you then just back off. Why keep chasing him to the ends of the earth?”

“Just get a clue already. He doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Tsk. How persistent. As an Omega, doesn’t he have any pride or dignity?”

“What will it take for him to feel ashamed of himself? How much more does he have to humiliate himself before he gets it? I can’t believe someone can have such a thick face!”

Vasili flushes in shame, his head dropping in defeat. Nine could see that the Omega was trying his hardest to hold back his tears. Even though those spectators didn’t even know the specifics of their relationship, they still shamelessly spread their hurtful opinions. No matter how Tai and Iku shoot scornful and disapproving looks to Seven and plead with him to actually listen to the Omega, the offending teen simply kept walking further and further away while Vasili eventually found enough strength to drag his feet home. Just putting one foot in front of another felt impossible, each foot feeling like it was made of stone that weighed a ton.

Once the spectators dispersed, the marketplace went back to usual. However, the mood in the family had dampened a bit. Iku sighs once again, intending to keep Nine close to him before he wandered off but was surprised to find the boy still rooted to the same spot staring at the stall across him with his jaw dropped.

Across from the mesmerized teen was a stall selling sweetmeats. But it wasn’t the fragrant scent of the spices or the craving for the fluffy, round, golden brown treats that was holding his attention. Iku follows Nine’s stare to see what was making his mouth gape.

Nine’s eyes were glued to a young boy, incomparably the most beautiful he’d ever seen. He was no stranger to Sarak’s countless beauties but all this time he had no interest in love and instead preferred to spend his days playing. So even if he passed by or talked to beauties on a daily basis, he was not really affected or interested. But now that he was starting to be aware of love, he knew that he’d never seen anyone that looked as overbearingly gorgeous as that boy.

Nine’s eyes followed every movement of the boy’s. Irresistibly admiring his fair porcelain skin, his short light golden blonde Greek curls poised atop his head, his carefree greyish-green eyes flecked with sparks of gold. Never before have eyes held such danger and captivating beauty all at once. His intoxicating beauty left Nine dazed and utterly speechless.

Iku saunters over amused, ready to tease. “Your heart’s going to leap right out of your mouth if you leave it open like that.” However, all Nine can hear is static. His entire body was stiff. Suddenly an elderly woman catches up to the boy, huffing out of breath, and reproaches him. Iku was in the middle of trying to tear Nine away to catch up with the rest of the family so Nine could only catch snippets of their conversation.

Something that sounded like an angry “...dair! I told you not to run off” and then a whiny “But Grandma...” To which the grandma responded to angrily, “Alaisdair! Will you behave or not? It really is just my luck to have to rear Aleistor’s bastard.” A few seconds later came a frantically placating, “Shh shh, Mama won’t yell anymore. Come now, wipe your tears. Here, pick out the ones you want to eat. I will buy it for you.”

Nine was pulled away before he could hear the rest.

Jo was doing some casual cleaning after finishing shopping but he found it particularly impossible because of Nine’s frantic to and fro pacing. The girls were in the middle of preparing the ingredients for dinner, Tai and Iku were playing with a giggly Milly, Ermir was doing maintenance on his carpentry tools and Seven was grimly writing a letter but they all couldn’t really focus on their tasks because of the teen’s distractingly annoying pacing. He just couldn’t sit still after returning from the marketplace. There were no words to describe his mix of intense emotions of infatuation and unbridled intrigue. He just couldn’t get that gorgeous beauty off his mind. All it took was Daria asking “what the hell is wrong with this bastard” for his overflowing cup of emotions to spill.

Nine’s hilariously passionate feelings were practically pouring out of him, giving the impression of an impassioned madman as his arms madly flailed about in every direction. “And then he was right there. He was like...I don’t know how to say it. And then when I looked at him, it was like…”

Jo just had to tease the teen, a big Cheshire grin on his face, “You’re going to have to be more specific. Give us more details.”

Nine pulls at his hair roughly in frustration, struggling to find words to describe Alaisdair. “He looked like… Ugh, he was just really super...perfect! When I looked at him it made my heart hurt and it felt like I was free falling from a cloud. All the way down to the ground. Or like when someone jumps out and scares you and you feel like your heart’s about to burst right out of your chest. It was like that! Like my heart was doing somersaults. My head hurts. I can’t calm down. Ugh, he’s driving me crazy.”

Ermir also joins in, his grin even bigger, “He’s already driving you crazy and you haven’t even talked to him yet?”

They’d tried to hold back their chuckles out of respect for the teen’s adorable reaction to his first love, almost cracking up here and there but quickly restraining themselves, but now the floodgates were opened. All of them burst out in laughter. Nine frowns, embarrassed and slightly blushing, attacking anyone close to his with weak balled fists. Once the hooting and hollering resides he loudly declares with all his heart, “I don’t care if you laugh. But he was really the most beautiful Omega I’ve ever seen!”

Iku intentionally clears his throat, a bit offended. Nine meekly rephrases, “The second most beautiful-”

Jo also threateningly clears his throat. Nine meekly rephrases again, “The third most-”

Daria also interjects. Nine cowardly begin, “The fourth-”

Iliana clears his throat too despite not being an Omega or Beta but still nonetheless offended. Nine meekly keeps his eyes to the floor. “The fifth most beautiful Omega I’ve ever…”

Before he can finish, roaring laughter erupts. Even Seven joins in to tease the intensely blushing 15 year old Alpha, “If he’s the fifth most beautiful Omega you’ve ever seen, then he’s not really anything special!”

Jo eventually notices in the midst of laughing that while they assumed Nine’s flushed face and unstable stance were due to meeting who the teen believed to be his fated pair, his overall condition was really not too good. He cautiously puts his cool hand on Nine’s forehead to feel his temperature and immediately afterwards the coolness of his hand is met with burning hotness. Nine had unbelievably caught a fever from the extreme intensity of his emotions, much like how a child catches fever from overstimulating excitement. It was something none of them had ever seen or heard of -catching a fever from falling in love- which made it all the more funnier.

As Jo and Daria caringly lay the teen down to rest on his bed, Tai prepares a cold damp cloth to put on his forehead, Iku prepares some nutritious porridge, Seven fans his brother, and Ermir opens every window in the cottage to allow cool, crisp fresh air in. All this love and effort they were putting in to tenderly caring for Nine might’ve actually been heartwarming or endearing if they weren’t all still doubling over in laughter.

A few days passed peacefully. Today was the joyous day of the Kite Festival. A summer-infused breeze was blowing freely and wildflowers of various colors bloomed madly as far as the eye could see on the endless meadow where seemingly everyone in the city gathered. The sky was a brilliant cornflower blue and the summer sun’s brilliant amber rays kissed the dark green leaves on the trees and the wildflowers gently swayed by the flirtatious breeze in a supple dance. The lush iridescent meadow flowed like a sea of green flecked with a riot of colors.

Small children hide in the tall grass playing hide and seek or sprint as fast as the wind to send their kites flying towards the deep blue sky. A scattered lane of trees offered some reprieve from the blazing ball of fire for families to drink in the shade and gaily have picnics under. A few miles away through the thickets of tall meadow grass was a rushing clear blue river. Nine was sitting carefree on the blanket in the shade with his family, enjoying the melodic sound of the river and children playing. His mind was drifting. Jo and Ermir were happily showing Milly the wildflowers. Her chubby hands would sometimes clutch the delicate colorful petals while her parents sweetly cooed her away.

It was a loving sight. But as Nine’s mind continued drifting, he realized that Seven wasn’t anywhere nearby. A sense of brotherly intrigue was bubbling up inside him, curious about where Seven was. After dazedly wandering off downhill, he spots a figure wearing a sun hat watching a group of three boys sprinting and dashing expertly, big decorated kites following behind them. The kites sliced the air and soared above their heads high in the air, fluttering underneath the fluffy white clouds. But their fluttering kites tugged at the strings so hard it pulled them to their tiptoes and then several yards forward. If the wind was any stronger they’d be flying into the sky too.

Vasili delightedly cheers them on, clapping and jumping along with them when their kites take off into the sky. One of the boys says, “Brother, these kites you made are too good. They fly nice and easy.” The excitement was starting to hurt Vasili’s heart. He was already a bit out of breath but because he never liked to inconvenience or worry others because of his troublesome constitution, he simply pushes the discomfort out of mind.

Vasili replies humbly to the compliment as is customary in Sarak, “No, no. They’re not really too good. Just so-so.”

The older of the boys teases, “Your family makes kites for a living. How can you say your skills are only mediocre.” The boys laugh. Vasili joins in too. Their attention was preoccupied with controlling the strength they put into tugging the strings to steady the kite against the wind, dutifully watching their efforts sustain their kites in the sky, sometimes tugging the string and other times releasing it.

Suddenly the youngest of the three turns to Vasili with a smile missing a few teeth, “Brother, you come fly it with us too. Aren’t you getting bored just watching?” He looked to be around seven or eight. His friends glare and nudge hard at him but he carelessly continues, “Come on, join us. I guarantee it’s more fun when you’re the one flying.” The other two’s glares deepen menacingly.

Because of his weak body, Vasili was strictly forbidden as a child from playing with the other children. Watching so many children playing happily with their kites invoked in him unresolved envy. Even now he wanted to feel that same lightness and freedom. He picks up the spare kite lying by his side, “You’re right. There’s no point in a kite maker never assessing the quality of his kite himself. I’ll demonstrate my family secret kite flying technique,” he says winking mischievously at the boys.

The boys still glare at the youngest while Vasili treks up to the top of the hill. The next second he comes barreling down as fast as he can then launches his orange kite into the burning sky. Vasili ignores his body as he expertly maneuvers his kite sailing as gracefully as a bird in the sky, coughing after every sentence. It starts out with a string of breathless coughs but after a few minutes go by the coughs evolve into violent fits. The Omega falls to his knees in pain, his nails deeply sinking into his chest.

The two older boys shove at the youngest who invited Vasili to fly a kite, harshly whispering “Why don’t you ever listen? You already know that he’s not supposed to be running around” and “Idiot! We tried to stop you” while the little boy whimpers. The oldest suggests calling an adult over seeing that Vasili’s condition was worsening. Their kites had fallen to the ground like flightless birds.

Out of the corner of his eyes Vasili could see that the boys were scared that they were the cause of his violent coughing fit so he straightens up and tries to placate them but his lungs felt like they were set on fire, his heart was beating erratically. No matter how violently he coughed or how greedily he tried to swallow up oxygen, his body was nonetheless unresponsive and gasping for air. Tears were welling up in his eyes. The more he saw the boys’ expressions getting more worried and scared, he mustered all the strength he could to control his breathing. Slow and steady. Breathe in, breathe out.

He gets into a calming rhythm that eventually makes his violent coughing fit manageable. “Maybe… I got a little too excited. Sorry, I ruined...the fun,” he manages to get out. The kids stare at him as the Omega wobbly stands up with tears and snot dripping down their faces. Vasili loses strength and stumbles backwards. Luckily, he bumps into someone’s chest and is quickly held up by the arm. His gentle eyes immediately light up in surprise. Seven releases his arm.

Vasili nervously fixes himself up, straightening his crooked sun hat and regaining control of his breathing. Judging from Seven’s reprimanding glare, he was expecting to be scolded since Seven did always disapprove of him doing these sort of reckless things he knew would intentionally harm his body. Although Seven did witness from some distance off the Omega’s recklessness and ran in to stop him but stopped himself.

Instead, Seven firmly pushes a letter into his chest. Vasili’s confused eyes go from the letter to Seven for a few moments.As Vasili moves to accept the letter. Seven suddenly snatches it back. The Alpha scoffs, “I’ll just tell you exactly what it says. From now on, I’m putting everything between us to an end for good.”

Although he had just regained his breath, Vasili felt like it was snatched away again. “W-wait! I won’t accept this.”

Seven continues on uncaringly, “I’ll forget about you and you do the same for me. That’s all it says.” He briskly leaves as fast as he came. Unexpectedly, Vasili chases after him uphill but each of the Alpha’s brisk steps was worth two of the Omega’s. Despite Vasili’s desperate calls echoing from behind him, Seven carries on but the uphill run was taking a heavy toll on the Omega his shout for Seven soon going from raspy shouts to another violent coughing fit, this time much worse than before. His breathing was severely harsh and ragged. Seven stops under a canopy of large bright green trees offering cool shade. Vasili fights through the debilitating pain to reach the top of the hill. His eyes squeezed tightly shut as he fought to be able to speak. He had finally caught up.

Seven eyes the Omega for a while and finally decides to help him up out of kindness. Even though he was currently angry at the Omega he didn’t hate him to the point of letting him suffer this way. He opens his mouth to say something but Vasili instead surprises him by reaching out his hand to gently caress Seven’s cheek, an apologetic expression of worry and crushing sadness intermingling on his face. Since the last time they met on good terms, Seven’s cheeks had become sunken, the light in his eyes had dimmed, and the bags beneath his eyes became visibly apparent.

Seven maliciously smacks the Omega’s hand away hard. Just as he opens his mouth to speak Vasili hesitantly interjects first. “L-let me talk first.” Just talking looked like it was exerting every ounce of willpower his fragile body could muster. “That day, I really did want to show up. Sacrificing my family, my friends, my city, everything I love. I was ready to throw it all away just to be with you. Because you mattered more. I woke up with those thoughts running through my head and I believed them wholeheartedly. I still do. But as the day went on, I started doubting myself. I packed my things and was on my way to meet up with you but little by little each step felt like it was getting heavier. The closer I got to you, the more everything weighed on me. I was scared… that I’m not good enough for you.”

Tears start streaming down uncontrollably but Vasili pushes on. “I’m scared of so many things. I’ve always been scared that I’m not good enough for you.”

The ice around Seven’s heart shattered away instantly. “I was scared that if we ran off together it’d be just you and me. What if you get tired of me eventually? With a body like this, there’s more burdens than benefits. Every doctor I’ve gone to says having children is practically impossible for me. Even things like having sex may be too much for me. What if my body becomes a burden to you? What if you want children but I can’t give you any? What if you come to hate me? What if you leave me for some else? My head was filled with all these thoughts. My feet were frozen.I didn’t feel good enough for you but I also hated the idea of you with someone else. I’d never felt that greedy in my life. I was ashamed of myself. I turned back before you saw me. I know you too well. I knew you’d feel that I betrayed you, abandoned you, chose everything else over you and that you’d never forgive me for turning my back on you. But rather than ruin your life, I thought you’d be better off with someone better for you while I fulfill my parent’s promise. I thought I could do it, I really did… but I regret it so much. Just breathing every day feels like swallowing a sky full of needles knowing that you can’t even stand the sight of me. But even then...I still want us to be...I really don’t think I can breathe without you.”

Seven stifles the emotionally distraught Omega with his lips. Within moments the Alpha presses the sniffling Omega flush against his body. Vasili’s lips were forcefully parted with deep ravaging kisses. Vasili’s body temporarily stiffened from the suddenness of the intense kisses, but once he realizes that he is securely held in Seven’s arms, he reciprocates, standing on his tip toes and tightly wraps his arms around Seven’s shoulders to deepen the painful reconciling kisses. Vasili could feel his knees going weak from the intensity of the kisses. Surging warmth resonated throughout his body as he accepted the ravaging assault of Seven’s tongue, his shaking lips dominated helplessly to the point that his body was giving out and had to be held up around the waist by Seven’s arms.The kisses could only be described as dizzying and intense followed by a flavor of dripping salty wetness.

Vasili separates to see the source of warm, flowing wetness dampening his cheek but the Alpha presses him close again, not letting him see his tears. Instead, Vasili nuzzles deeper in his lover’s warm suffocatingly tight embrace, lips utterly unable to part for even a second from Seven’s. The closer Seven pulled him in the more something distressing came to his attention. He pulls Vasili away, albeit having to exert some strength to pull away the Omega desperately clinging to him, to lift up his shirt. Vasili also tries to stop him, the rim of his eyes red and damp and dread written all over his face, as they play tug of war with Vasili’s top robe. Seven trying to pull it up and Vasili fighting him to pull it down.

Eventually, Seven succeeds. Once he rips open his robe, or more accurately multiple robes, he was grounded in silence. Vasili’s body was practically skin and bones. His ribs were starting to poke out and while he could cover it up with the five layers of clothes he was wearing Seven could easily see he lost a lot of weight. Knowing Vasili’s habits, it was probably the insistent stress and unhappiness of being separated and quarreling with the Alpha that kept him from nourishing a body with a suffering soul. This time, Vasili covers Seven in his warm embrace, all that mattered was that nothing else needed to be said. Nothing else had to be said, no more apologies, no more unexpressed feelings. Although Seven was more of a stoic actions over words man, by the way his arms were gripping Vasili’s waist so strongly that the shorter teen’s neck, shoulders, and waist were starting to bruise Vasili could tell the Alpha never wanted to let him go or let anything destroy their love again.

It seemed to Nine who was hiding some yards off at the base of the hill behind a sturdy canopy tree and had witnessed practically the entire reconciliation that while one was suffering the pains of separation here the other was suffering the same there. It wasn’t that he meant to peek, he had originally gone to find where Seven disappeared to and came across the scene of the kissing lovers.

Iku was casually chatting and laughing with Jo when he spots the red-faced 15 year old Alpha jogging toward him back to the family blanket. Clutching the teen by the ear, “Where did you run off to? What did you do?” Noticing his blushing face, Iku releases the vice grip on the resisting boy, instead training a dubious stare on the boy, “What did you see?” Nine shamelessly scoots closer to his dad to lay his burning face on Iku's comforting lap, all the while mumbling “nothing, nothing, leave me alone. I didn’t do anything” under his breath.


	3. Welcome to the Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to split the chapter in half because I realized it was just too long.
> 
> ~Just a 21 year old fanfic writer who wants to make some fellow fanfic writer friends.

The sun was already setting when Seven had gotten back home. The family had arrived back from the Kite Festival long ago and were currently lounging around. Nine nervously hides behind Daria’s back while shuffling his feet to the foyer where Seven was calling out “Dad! Pops!” He was still feeling somewhat guilty having spied on them earlier that afternoon. As he gets closer and closer he could hear Seven saying “This is Vasili.”

Iku and Tai exchange a look, “We already know Vasili.” Seeing from how they were inseparably attached to one another, it was easy to understand that after half a year of a detrimental fight the two had reconciled. Iku speaks coyly with mischief infused in his tone, “We always ‘coincidentally’ run into each other at the temple every year we make a pilgrimage.”

Iliana grins as she vindictively mimics Seven's terrible acting, “‘Wow, look at this. We ran into Vasili again...for the fifth year in a row at the same temple. What a surprise! Such a strange coincidence.’ How cowardly. If your relationship is so serious, why didn’t you bring him home to meet Dad and Pops? You could’ve done it at any time.”

Seven weakly defends himself, Vasili timidly hiding behind the Alpha’s broad back and clutching Seven’s clothes. “I already know you all know him but this time I’m introducing him to everyone in a different capacity.” Seven’s voice imperceptibly filled with emotion and they could all tell from that the meaning behind his words. Basically this was like a formal “I want everyone to properly meet my mate.” Vasili tightens his hold on Seven, the blush spreading to the tips of his ears. “I would’ve brought him home earlier but he was the one who never wanted me to.”

Vasili shyly jerks Seven’s robe, softly whining, “That's because you said your family is really quite wealthy. I thought they’d be too disappointed in your choice if they find out I’m only a lowly kite maker.”

Tai catches this and humbly corrects as is the customary Bima response. “Our family is not really that rich. It’s really too big of an exaggeration to say our family’s wealth is really worth mentioning. Just a little bit of money and land saved up from generations, only slightly more than most people. Either way none of that really matters in the slightest.” The people of Bima and Sarak alike never like to brag or boast, always humbly downplaying compliments or blessings, out of respect for others. But the more vehemently they denied the compliment, the more accurate it was. Hearing Tai so strongly deny his parents’ wealth, the more nervously Vasili hid behind Seven out of intimidation.

Jo jumps to the rescue, “Brother Tai is right. None of that matters now. For now, why don’t we leave all the unimportant small details at the door. We can take our time to sort everything out, no rush. Won’t you please come in, little brother?” he says addressing Vasili, practically already acknowledging Vasili as part of the family

Nine also shakes off his guilt and suddenly takes Vasili’s hand and softly kisses the back of it. His charm was turned to maximum. “I’d like to be the first to welcome Brother to our family.” He manages to coax a small smile out of Vasili. Iku had to raise an eyebrow at Nine for some suspicious reason being a perfect Bima gentleman. The boy’s strong alluring Bima accent further accentuated his chivalrous manners. Iku narrowed his eyes at his goofily smiling mate beside him, knowing full well that Nine had inherited all of his captivating charm from Tai. The way those two were always so irresistibly charismatic when they turned the charm on never failed to amaze Iku. “Please come in, come in.” The teen really was quite helpful in ushering everyone to the dinner table. Iku couldn't help but feel that in just a few short years, his son would become an undeniably irresistible man.

Ermir places a silver platter of smooth white jade tea cups containing steaming hot caramel-colored tea. The conversation had already started. Iku was currently saying, “... can’t just take the boy with you wherever you want without us talking to his parents. You already know how improper that sounds. It is customary for the two families to meet.”

Seven solemnly returns, “I already know that. Isn’t that why I am suggesting all three of us go to meet with them soon?” Vasili silently sits by his side with his hands fidgeting on his lap, letting Seven handle the words. The Alpha was naturally a bit too domineering but that only made him love Seven more. A pig-headed outspokenness to match his docile soft-spokenness. “Whether they relent or obstruct, in the end their decision doesn’t matter to me. We’ll only go see them out of courtesy to them so they can save face.”

Daria, finally awake for once, shoots in, “Big words coming from a little loser. Funny how you didn’t have the courage to say so six months ago and now you do. Just until yesterday, weren’t you treating him like shit stuck to the bottom of your shoe? Weren’t you also the same person who said you couldn’t care less whatever happens to Vasili?” Vasili flinches at the mention of his name. “You sure did change your face pretty quickly.”

Iku interjects before blood starts rushing to Seven’s head again. “There are things that should never be repeated a second time. Yesterday was the past and right now is the present. When you actually did shamefully elope with that Manzar Beta two years ago and then were cast aside for another Omega in less than a year, none of us dredged up your bad past or shamed you in any way. There’s no need now to shame Seven.” Daria arrogantly flips her hair with a stern humph in defeat. “That aside, dear, are you sure you really want Seven of all people?” Vasili meekly meets Iku’s challenging stare.

Nine quietly sips his tea, his intrigued eyes trained on Seven’s unwavering stare at Vasili. This was the first time he’s seen Seven care this much about someone other than his family. The look in his eyes was possessive, protective, adoring. Nine could barely recognize his older brother. Iku continues, “I mean, he is really just not too good. Just look at how he is, one little incident and he turns against you like a worst enemy so fast and for so long. Didn’t even spare you the time of day to say anything in your defense. Even worse, he spat at your feet and humiliated you at every turn. Too immature, really too immature. Hmph, just looking at him makes me feel so ashamed I even gave birth to him. Thinking he’s ready to settle down but still has a lot of growing to do. You’ll surely be disappointed.”

Although the redness in his eyes from the crying had faded, Vasili’s voice was still noticeably hoarse. “I...It was only because of my action that caused Sev’s reaction.” They could all see that the Omega was carefully picking his words. “The both of us, we know each other really well. From habits to heartbeats. That Sev would react in that way was also something that I myself knew well as I turned away from his waiting back that day.” Vasili’s hoarse voice becomes bolder and resolute with each word. “Even if Sev degrades me or spits at my feet, they are still our personal form of love that only he and I can understand. There was never any malice in any of it. If I took just a look at his sad eyes, I could see everything he wanted to communicate. In the end, whether it's Sev’s hate or love, as long as they are directed at me both emotions are something that belong solely to me. That’s why I will gratefully accept the pain, the heartbreak, the hatred, the love all the same without faltering. We have this kind of devoted love...”

Iku had to pick his jaw up off the floor. He was in awe at the Omega’s unyielding personality. On the outside he was meek but on the inside he was passionately loyal and had strong integrity. “Tai! I like this one!” Tai was shocked by his mate’s sudden fevered praises, but nonetheless supportively withstood Iku’s powerful slaps on his back with an easy smile. Iku sucks his teeth, “But this really is a problem. Just look at him- much too good for Sev. So mature, so wise, so beautiful. Isn’t he just perfect?” Seven disdainfully rolls his eyes. “If I let this good kid be wasted on one of my annoying bastards my soul would never be able to rest in peace. But since my dear Vasili wants to be with this bastard so much, I cannot object even if I wanted to. And you!” he turned to Seven so fast he almost got whiplash, “Vasili is too good for you. He really is. Just look at yourself. Such a good-for-nothing. Tsk, when are you ever going to shape up?”

Vasili’s eyes widen as Iku suddenly reaches across the table to eagerly clasp his hands, “Come, come, dear. Tell me which god you worship?”

Tai interrupts Iku’s crazed happiness “This again. Such an old fashioned belief. No one really believes in mixing the gods anymore.” Iku smacks the Alpha on the bicep.

Vasili glances at Seven before answering quietly, “My family has always worshipped the god of wind because we’ve been kite makers for generations.”

Iliana chuckles. She knew where this was going. The first time Iku met her wife, her dad had also become this same way. Iku excitedly says, “The god of wind? Eh, what a good choice. Good winds sell more kites. Do you know Seven’s personal god?”

Vasili shyly glances at Seven again before answering, “The god of fortune.” Seven meets his eyes with a soft smile.

Ermir begins to chip in, “My family have always worshiped the god of agriculture-”

But Iku rudely cuts in, ignoring what his younger brother was about to say. “How fortuitous! Extremely serendipitous! Your gods are absolutely compatible with ours in every way. Tai’s family has always worshiped the god of money and as you know, they’ve been blessed with wealth generation after generation. Your family worships the god of wind. If you mix with Seven’s god, that means the god of fortune will blow a lifetime of good luck your way. Only good things will ever happen to you. Mix with Tai’s family’s side and the god of wealth will blow a lifetime of wealth your way. You can live a comfortable life never wanting for anything. You are both really compatible for each other. We must hurry and choose an auspicious day to visit a god of marriage temple to receive blessings.”

Tai tries to calm down his overexcited mate for fear that he would spontaneously combust. “Honey, please calm down a little. These are just old beliefs. Determining compatibility this way is simply too outdated.”

Iku sucks his teeth and shoves the Alpha away. ”My family has always worshiped the god of agriculture. If you mix my side with Tai’s, you can see I really married into money while selling my vegetables hahaha. But never mind. You two make such a good match, it makes me impatient to see my grandchildren soon.” Vasili noticeably twinges at the mention of grandchildren. “Dear, if you don’t have a personal god, why don’t adopt the god of fertility? Isn’t it good? Many Omegas worship the god of fertility. If you do, the god of fortune will bless you with many children. You’re still young now but in the future, you see, children-”

Vasili softly interrupts, a pained expression marring his face, “I think it’d be best if I say this now.” Seven comfortingly grips his hand under the table. “I’m sure that everyone knows about my body’s condition. Even though I am an Omega, it’s only in name. Because of this body my pheromones are really too weak, barely present, which makes my heats weak and practically nonexistent. Due to all this, every doctor I’ve gone to has told me I am infertile. I’ll probably never be able to have children.”

The mood at the table was dampened like someone had poured ice water on a burning fire. The atmosphere was gloomy and depressing as everyone chewed on those words over and over in their heads. Suddenly Jo jumps up and cheerily says, “Too much sad talk will ruin the appetite. If anyone eats my cooking with a frown, I will feel more insulted than disrespected. And please do keep in mind,” he dramatically waits until everyone’s attention is turned to him to continue, “I am not above holding grudges. Do be warned: you wouldn’t want to make an enemy out of me unless you enjoy the thrill of having your food poisoned.”

As Jo goes in the kitchen, Ermir follows after his mate to help him set the table. Milly was currently laid to sleep in her crib. The mood lightens up as everyone starts laughing at Jo’s joke. Though eventually the laughter gradually dies out the more they think about whether the Beta was actually joking or not. They exchange scared looks as plate after plate of food arrived at the table. They purposely force plastered smiles at the various plates of food, absolutely not daring to frown, and anxiously wait for Jo to be the first one to taste his own food to exhale a huge sigh of relief that nothing was poisoned.

Jo naturally had the hand of god in the kitchen, anything he made tasted like ambrosia. But as Seven peeks to Vasili sitting beside him indifferently nibbling and picking at his warm fresh bread and chicken soup, he places a stern hand on the Omega’s thigh. Now that he knew the Omega was skipping meals so much so to the point he had to wear five layers of clothes just to cover up his worryingly thinning body on top of his worsening health, Seven definitely couldn’t let this passive attitude slide anymore. He softly whispers in his ears, “Eat something. I can’t feel at ease if you keep rejecting food like this. Your health getting better is contingent on you taking good care of yourself.”

Vasili gently places his hand on top of Seven’s hand resting on his thigh, “You really do worry too much. It’s just that I don’t have that much of an appetite. I’ll be just fine.”

Seven snatches Vasili’s soup spoon from him seeing as the Omega wasn’t seriously understanding the gravity of the situation. “I asked Brother Jo to specifically make tonight’s soup with fresh chicken just for you. The fresh chicken meat and broth is good for your heart.” Vasili was preparing to reply but Seven could sense that he was planning to spew more flippant nonsense. “If you won’t eat for yourself, then at least eat for my sake. Last time, weren’t you the one who said my body belongs to you? Then the same is also true for me. To see you keep mistreating this body that belongs to me, do you think I’d just silently keep tolerating it?”

All the words Vasili was planning to counter with died immediately in his throat. Words could no longer come out. Hot teardrops rolled down his cheeks and splashed into his soup, dissipating into minute ripples. He rubs at his tear-soaked eyes but the tears kept falling persistently. Seven dutifully fed him spoonful after spoonful of tear-flavored soup. Once the first bowl was finished, a second bowl was brought over and then a third. No matter how much his body protested, Vasili faithfully swallowed bite after bite for Seven’s sake, relishing the sweet flavor of love bursting upon his tongue. Everyone lets them lovingly enjoy being in their own world without disturbing the lovebirds. Nine felt that tonight’s dinner was indescribably the best he’d ever had. The diamond-like twinkling stars above were winking brightly upon the small cottage.

\--

Many suns and moons had fallen and risen since Hiran’s arrival. Day after day passed peacefully. The intersecting corner where the kitchen and gathering room walls met become dubbed as “Hiran’s spot.” Hiran looked close to death when he had first been brought to the orphanage but now his sunken cheeks had lost some of their protruding sharpness and his sallow complexion had softened up. It was obvious to Akito and Sister Maralissa that although Hiran refused to eat with the family he had at least been stealthily stealing enough food to survive from the kitchen and food stores. They’d oftentimes find loaves of bread or smoked meats left on the kitchen counter miraculously vanishing.

Even though they slept in the same room, Hiran was still just as distant with Akito. For the sake of giving Hiran privacy, Akito had decided to divide the room right down the middle into his side and Hiran’s side. Each person had his own side of the bed, cabinet, window. As was their privilege as the oldest children in the orphanage, the two were given the largest most spacious room, which didn’t really mean much as the rooms were naturally small and condensed but fortunately they were free of bickering toddlers and infants wailing all hours of the night.

But whether they were alone or with everyone else, Hiran has never spoken a word. It seemed like Hiran never slept, at all at night. Akito could hear him actively twisting and turning for hours and then he would keenly feel the bed dip in the dead of night when Hiran usually snuck out to steal food. Whenever he caught him, Akito would eagerly move the curtain dividing their room to badger Hiran with questions like “Do you want me to prepare you something?” or “If you’re thirsty, would you like me to draw water from the well for you?” or “If you’re scared to go to the bathroom alone, do you want me to go with you?” None of his questions ever met with a reply. Only in Akito’s dreams does he imagine what Hiran’s voice would sound like. In his dreams Hiran usually had a strong Jiendai accent spoken in a thin, fragile voice. Akito was starting to wander if his fated pair was actually mute. Either that, or more reasonably, Hiran didn’t understand the language in Manzar.

It was on one of these many peaceful days that the children had finally gathered the nerve to approach the detached boy in the corner leaning back against the wall with his eyes closed. Some of the younger children led by Yin and Tula make a game out of getting close to Hiran and then dashing away once he notices. They would get close and when Hiran notices they sprint away in happy laughter. The next person has to get even closer than the last person. Hiran confusedly observes the giggling children. A few hours had gone by like this when they noticed that trying to get a reaction or words out of Hiran was a futile effort. Hiran neither smiled, moved, or reacted in any way.

Sister Maralissa calls them for dinner. Assuming that the children had grown bored of teasing him, Hiran closes his eyes and returns to his contemplative pose. He had no happy memories to relive when he closed his eyes. Only memories of being abandoned, trampled, discarded, and mistreated. As he drowns in his sorrow, the aromatic heavenly smell of freshly baked bread wafts to his nose, breaking him out of his daytime nightmares.

Tula cheekily grins, breaking her warm, toasty bread in half as if making a show out of it for Hiran. The other children beside her all standing in a horizontal line also make a display out of stuffing their faces with their steaming, golden fresh out of the oven loaves as if they were saying “Don’t you want some of our tasty food? If you come eat with the family in the dining room, you can have all the fresh food you want.” It was hilariously obvious they were trying to entice Hiran to come to them as one would entice a stray cat to follow them home with food. More children would pop their heads in to see what was going on and once they saw they would also dash back to the dining room and bring out their own bowls of food to join in on luring Hiran out of the corner. Nearly half of the orphanage children were standing near Hiran obnoxiously opening their mouths wide enough for Hiran to count each tooth in their mouth as they munch, slurp messily, chew sloppily. The scene was both hilarious and concerning. Hiran didn’t know how to react but the steely frostbite around his heart had considerably melted even if by just a little. His cold expression softens.

Just as a barely noticeable smile was about to bloom on his face, Akito finds the troublemakers. Hiran’s smile dies before it is even born. “What are you all doing here? Didn’t I already tell you to stop bothering Hiran? Get back to the table and sit down and eat.” He tries to herd them back towards the direction of the dining room but they obnoxiously scatter like fireflies and force Akito to chase after them. Hiran watches inquisitively.

The children collectively whine, “But it was just about to work. We almost got him to follow us. We’re all family. Food tastes better when we all eat together.”

Akito pulls their cheeks, “I agree food tastes better together but Hiran is not an animal. He’s not going to fall for a trap this stupid and pathetic.” Capturing two bouncing troublemakers in each arm, Akito was taking them back to eat at the three-legged dinner table when suddenly behind him comes an unfamiliar voice.

“Family?” The children exchange look to each other, wondering if any of them said anything, and they all shake their heads. The voice was soft and indeed frail and flowed as smooth and steady as a calm river. It was much more pleasant than Akito dreamt of and infinitely more beautiful. Hiran speaks again, painfully slow as if he hadn’t spoken for years and had forgotten how to. “Families eat together?”

It was only a couple of words but Hiran had astounded all of them. That he understood their language and even responded was somehow amazing to them. Akito couldn’t help but stare. His words rush out excitedly, “You can speak our language? All this time we thought you didn’t understand. That or you held us in contempt.”

Hiran softly shakes his head. “Only a little. I learned from Manzarian travelers.”

Akito begins to ask, “Then all this time, why didn’t you-?” but stops himself. All that mattered was that something had inspired Hiran to talk. Maybe it was the word “family” that had breathed life back into him. Instead, Akito asks, “Families eat together. You’re now also a part of our family. Do you want to come eat with the rest of the family?” His tone was perceptibly hopeful and anticipatory. Akito benevolently extends his hand out. Hiran only stares at the small calloused hand as if he was debating whether to accept it or not. The grinning children also eagerly hug Akito’s legs in anticipation. All this time they were afraid that the reason Hiran didn’t want to open up them was because he hated them.

Hiran doesn’t move. So many minutes go by that the eagerly anticipating children lose patience and one by one slink back to the kitchen to properly finish their dinner. But even after all the children leave, Akito continues holding out his hand, stubbornly refusing to accept defeat.

More time goes by. Everyone was almost finished with the meals and Akito’s legs were starting to get more numb than his outstretched hand. Akito had kept his hand extended for more than 40 minutes, neither lowering it nor retreating, all while Hiran simply stared at his hand but his efforts had been fruitless. The 10 year old was starting to wonder if he should just walk away and give up for tonight. It was already enough happiness for one day learning that Hiran could speak.

Just as he was about to put down his hand and walk away, Hiran hesitantly hovers his hand close to Akito’s numb hand. Raw emotions of fear and vulnerability clearly paint Hiran’s pale face the closer his hand inches closer to Akito. Closer and closer.

The tip of Hiran’s index finger tentatively touches the palm of Akito’s hand and within the next moment it felt like the world around them had fallen away into dust. Like nothing in the world existed besides the two lonely souls who had instantaneously melded into one.

\--

Dinner was finished and everyone was just relaxing. Seven and Vasili were living in their lovey-dovey world and Nine was gushing over how cute Milly was as he cradled the fussing bundle in his arms. Everything was peaceful until Iku villainously creeps up behind Seven who had his arm wrapped around his lover’s shoulders. His tone revengeful, “I hope you are not naive enough to think I forgot about you and Nine sneaking out to drink.”

Seven jolts up fearfully, A frightened Nine already starts running seeing the direction this was going. Within the next second Iku brandishes his wooden beating ladle he pulls from his back pocket. Jo watches astonished over how and where he managed to keep an entire ladle there all the way from Bima. It only took less than five minutes for full-force chaotic pandemonium to break out. Nine was using anyone he could for cover against Iku’s terrifying pursuit and when Iku couldn’t catch the slippery teen he’d chase after Seven who was destructively using anything in his path for defense. From blocking against his crazy Dad with chairs and furniture to using Vasili for cover.

The most amazing part was that Iku had agility and prowess to easily keep right on their heels despite his age. Vasili and Jo were thoroughly dumbstruck, their eyes were open comically wide in astonishment. “Now you get out from behind that boy right now!” Iku roars angrily. “Teaching Nine all these bad habits. You think I don’t know all about your bad habits- drinking like a fish, smoking like a chimney, frequenting brothels. I won’t let you off easy!”

Seven does a terrible imitation of Vasili’s voice, moving the Omega’s hands like a ventriloquist dummy. Vasili catches on quickly and plays along as he moves his mouth to match Seven’s words, albeit a bit scared of how irate Iku looked. “Father, come on, the brothel thing is old news. Please, just calm down. It was only a little fun between brothers. Totally normal. Besides, it’s not like Sev dragged that bastard along!” Seven sneers at Nine’s betrayed expression, but goes on because he cared more about saving his own skin, “He told Nine not to come along. Sev really did try to stop him but that bastard…”

Nine who was currently using a smiling Tai as a shield, “You lying bastard!” Tai was the parent who always had a smile on his face regardless of how chaotic things got. He knew his mate was crazy and he loved him all the more for it.

Seven retorts, “Who are you calling a bastard?!” Nine ducks fast to dodge one of Ermir’s clay statues flung at him by Seven. The statue crashes and breaks against the door. In retaliation, Nine launches back one of the dinner plates not yet cleared off the table, which Seven dodges and explodes into dozens of broken glass pieces against the wall behind him. Ermir powerlessly watches his beloved items being destroyed with his mouth hopelessly flapping open and closed and his glossing eyes chasing his precious items zooming back and forth. No matter how hard Tai and Vasili tried to escape being used as human shields, Seven and Nine relentlessly wouldn’t leave them alone. This three-way war was getting out of hand.

Ermir finally collects the strength to whimper, “Brother, these nephews of mine are out of control. Let me help you discipline-” Iku splatters him into a wall, way too engrossed in capturing the fleeing teens. The house was a mess of broken things strewn about and now Ermir’s nose was bleeding like a broken faucet. Jo lazily dashes over to his mate as he sighs and shakes his head. His mate should’ve known better than to stand in the raging Omega’s way. With a somewhat comforting hand on the bleeding Beta’s back, Jo ponders out loud at why Iku’s family loved calling each other bastards while Ermir tearfully blubbers “My brother and his circus act clowns. They broke all my things.”

The children call each other bastards, Iku himself usually casually refers to them as bastards too, Tai himself occasionally got called a bastard by Iku too. Jo curiously peeks to a goofy smiling Tai who apparently didn’t seem to mind being used as a human shield. “Even though their father is right there, they somehow still dare to call each other bastards?” he ponders to himself.

Iku relentlessly moves Vasili and almost catches Seven who was focusing on Nine but Seven adeptly slithers out of his chokehold. At some point Seven leaps onto the dining table while escaping, Iku also leaps on the table following close behind on his heels. Seconds later, the table unceremoniously collapses under the abuse. Ermir blubbers as if he just got stabbed in the gut. He crafted that table himself and was highly proud of his handiwork.

Iku was starting to get agitated and resorts to calling in the big guns. He shouts, “Tai! Hold that slippery bastard!” at the top of his lungs.

Tai wipes the goofy smile off his face, obediently responding. “At your service, my love.”

Sensing Iku’s anger reaching the boiling point, Nine dashes full-speed away before Tai’s attention lands on him and hops on the windowsill ready to escape at any time. Tai instead leaps straight into action as he pounces on Seven like a tiger and restrains him in a vice grip without much effort. No matter how hard he struggled, Seven couldn’t break out of the hold.

Iku saunters over triumphantly, only a bit out of breath but nonetheless smiling evilly. “This bastard. Making me chase after you like a dog. Just you wait. Tai, don’t let him go.” Tai obediently grips the teen’s arms behind his back tighter with a big loving smile toward Iku as the Omega raises his ladle high in the air. Iku uses every ounce of strength in his body to deliver the blows. Seconds later, the ladle comes crashing down three times. Milly was starting to wail loudly at all the obnoxiously loud noise but the minute three loud resonating whack! whack! whack! land on Seven’s head, her wailing immediately stops and her five month old infant eyes open inappropriately wide. Jo and Ermir were also frozen stiff by the head-cracking hits, their eyes practically popping out of their heads, and Vasili subconsciously gasps with his hands covering his mouth.

Iliana was watching the show as she munched on a pear. She especially loved Iku’s anger being directed to anyone other than herself so of course she was laughing, cheering, and clapping the whole time. Daria was sleeping on the floor for some reason after dinner but once the chaos broke out, her sleeping body naturally rolled this way and that way to avoid getting trampled underfoot.

Seven dramatically slides down to the floor like a fallen soldier, holding his throbbing head. “Fuck. That fucking hurts. Shit.” A string of curses followed as he sucked in air through his teeth. Vasili runs to his side, his hand also rubbing Seven’s head. “Sev! You can’t die yet. Hang in there, baby!”

Nine had already leaped out the window like a cat the minute the first whack crashed down on Seven. By the time Tai looks out the window, all he can catch is barefoot Iku’s frenzied shadow pursuing the fleeing teen in the dead of night. Surveying the damaged house, Tai could see there were a lot of dangerous broken objects that needed to be cleaned up.

Two hours later, a benevolently smiling Tai greets Iku who had returned victoriously holding the back of Nine’s robe collar. The Alpha pauses his cleaning to give a soft peck to his beautiful crazy mate. Nine looked like he just received the beatdown of a lifetime. Iku pushes the stumbling teen in then dusts off his hands. Daria quickly notices that Nine couldn’t stop bumping into things as if he couldn’t see anything in front or around him. Iku casually remarks “Don’t worry about it. He’ll regain his eyesight in about an hour” as he passes by her. She sympathetically pats the temporarily blinded teen’s back as she wonders exactly what sort of beating he received.

The pacified Iku full of complaints leisurely strolls through while grouchily fanning his face. Tai dutifully jumps to his side with a large benevolent smile. He could never stop himself from genuinely smiling whenever he was with his mate. Oftentimes he found that he would break out into a smile without even realizing it.“How dare these annoying bastards make me chase after them like a dog. They know it must be because I’m not so young anymore,” says the person who was easily keeping up with the teens. “I’m already so tired.” Iku who hasn’t broken a sweat at all from the whole fiasco says, “I really can’t deal with them anymore. Just too much for me. I’ve had enough of all these clown bastards.”

Tai adoringly kisses the side of Iku’s neck, “If you don’t want them anymore, how about we make four new ones to replace them? You’re still so young.” Iku giggles and playfully smacks the teasing Alpha’s chest. Although no one would’ve guessed it just looking at his young-looking face, Iku was 12 years older than Tai.

Iliana turns green and whispers under her breath, “Gross. We don’t need to hear all that.”

Seven whiningly inserts, “You’re over there acting like that but what about my head? You smacked the fucking shit out of my head. Do you even know how much that hurt? I only took him for a drink, it’s not like we committed murder. Over such a small thing my head was almost cracked wide open.”

Iku sucks his teeth in disapproval, “Hmph, I only hit you very lightly so don’t exaggerate.” Seven scoffs in exasperation, muttering "Lightly, my ass" under his breath. Iku continues, “See, it’s all because of you that these bastards are so weak,” he addresses Tai who was pulling him closer by the waist. Tai only chuckles lighthearted at the slight directed towards him. “It’s your weak blood. All because your ancestors only knew how to have soft hands and plump faces. What would they know about working the fields until your hands are calloused like this,” Tai kisses the palm of the worked hand. “Now look, your son is the same. Too weak. Can’t even take a little hit. Just a tiny tap and his eyes roll to the back of his head. You know, when I was a child, my family used to live by the river. My father was a fisherman. Every time I started up trouble, my Dad would chase me around the house with whatever was near him but he really preferred to let me know he loved me with his favorite really sturdy solid oak boat paddle. Even now I still wake up drenched in cold sweat if I dream about it. Once he got a hold of me, he’d love me with either end of that paddle until I lost days’ worth of memories with each hit. By the time he was finished with me, the only things I could remember were my name and my age. Just like a clean slate, right?” Iku breaks out in laughter. Tai naturally joins him.

Iku had indeed inherited his Omega Dad’s crazy genes as he disciplined his own children with a ladle, which in his mind was kinder than a paddle. Out of the corner of his eye Iku notices Ermir trembling as if he was reliving a nightmare, probably remembering their Dad’s discipline paddle. Iku laughs even harder at his younger brother.

Calm had eventually returned to the cottage. Seven was shirtlesslly toweling dry his wet glistening black hair. Splashing refreshing tepid water on himself in his uncle’s specially crafted wooden bath tub was all he needed to unwind after the chaotic after dinner disaster. Vasili was sitting on Seven’s bed, abashedly admiring the handsome Alpha from behind. His supple glowing olive skin softed from soaking in the tub, his attractive muscular frame, drops of water dripping off the ends of his black locks in the soft orange dim of the candle lights illuminating their room. Vasili consciously pulls at the hem of his white nightshirt.

Seven obliviously continues talking, “Once we speak with your parents, we can move to Bima’s countryside. Full of clean fresh air and not so populated. It’ll be good for your health.” Seven humbly throws in, “My grandfather on my Pops’s side owns some land all over Bima- and every country, really- but not really a lot. He’s already bestowed all of us with a bit of land so we can build a house...no, a home, there and live a quiet peaceful life. Just the two of us. Settling in Bima will do us both a lot of good.”

Vasili mumbles, “It’s good that it will be beneficial for me but will it be the same for you? What will you do in Bima?”

Seven takes a look back. Vasili was self-consciously fidgeting with the hem of his nightshirt and when their eyes meet the Omega shyly averts from the eye contact. Seven continues staring at the beauty starting to blush on his bed while he speaks. “It doesn’t really matter. I can do whatever. Whether it’s being a farmer or a fisherman like my Dad’s parents. It’s all fine. I can easily find a good job working in one of my grandfather’s trading companies too.”

Vasili fusses with his hair, a nervous habit, “But still, I don’t want you to sacrifice everything for me.”

Seven replies, “First, I’m doing it for us. Second, who’s the one sacrificing here? Bima is my family’s homeland. My grandfather has a bit of wealth and influence there.”

Vasili continues fussing with his hair, “You know that’s not what I meant. You love working on the salt merchant ship. You have good friends there and you love the freedom of sailing the open seas. Even if your grandfather rules the salt trade, you’ll still be sad and lonely having to give up something you love just for me. It’s fine if I sacrifice for you, I really don’t have much to lose anyways, but I can’t take having you sacrifice something you love for me. I'll never be able to live with myself knowing that I’m shackling you from doing the things you really want to do.”

Seven sits down next to him on the bed heaving a huge sigh. “You’re right. You really are too pessimistic. Always thinking about tiresome bad scenarios. Maybe I really should just move on to someone else.” Vasili uneasily bunches the knee of his nightshirt. Seven continues after a short pause, placing his hand on Vasili’s trembling ones. “But it has to be you. No one else but you. I’m the only one who can decide I want to be with you. I’m saying that I’m willing to give up whatever it takes. It’s such a small sacrifice anyways.” Adoringly rubbing his thumb with Vasili’s cheek, Vasili meets his warm caramel brown eyes as the Alpha coos, “Everything will be alright. Trust me.”

With the mood starting to heat up, Seven shuffles to the nightstand to grab his thin sleep shirt. “We can also have one of our doctors look you over in Bima. Before, only a Manzar doctor examined you. Compared to them, our doctors in Bima are far more superior. Maybe they’ll be able to cure your condition once and for all.” Vasili holds himself back from saying “I highly doubt that.” Seven continues, his tone suddenly softer and more hopeful. “Maybe they’ll also discover that you’re not infertile. I’m sure if we try really hard… One of each would be good. I don’t want to ask the gods for too much, just that they bless us with one boy and one girl. It doesn’t have to be now. In the future. When we’re both ready.”

Vasili blushes even deeper. Seven’s burning gaze finally captures his half-lidded timid green-blue eyes. Softly whispering in a barely audible voice, “I’ll try my best...to get pregnant then.”

Seven whispers back, “I’ll also try my best…to help you get pregnant.”

Vasili retorts meekly, “Let’s both try our best.” Seven begins fixing up fluffy quilts on the floor as his bed to sleep on for the night. Vasili would sleep on the bed and he would sleep on the floor. A few minutes of comfortable silence lull by until Vasili speaks up again. “Sev...the first time…” Seven was curious to know what he was trying to say. “When you put it in the first time...will it...hurt?”

Seven moves back to sit beside him on the bed. His gentle tone was confident and reassuring, “I’ll make sure that it doesn’t.” He leans in for a kiss, his hand meanwhile lustfully feeling up Vasili’s thigh. Vasili gives in to the deep passionate kisses, sighing and moaning in pleasure at Seven’s welcome touches. But the higher up Seven’s hand explores his slender thighs under the nightshirt, the more reluctant Vasili becomes and swiftly stops Seven before things escalate further. It took all of his strength to push Seven away.

Shaking his head, Vasili implores, “Don’t. Please. If we do this now… I don’t want anyone to say we rushed into it. They’ll only have negative things to say. That we have no self-restraint and are only driven by our lust. For now, we have to control ourselves. Just a little bit longer. Once we are officially recognized as mates by the temple of the god of marriage, we can take our time learning each other’s bodies.” Vasili consoles the Alpha with several pecks and kisses along his jawline. Seven heaves out a long sigh, roughly swiping his hair back in subtle frustration but still nods in agreement. Vasili giggles happily and rewards the Alpha with a nearly chaste smooch.

Around half an hour of kissing and cuddling pass when Tai and Ermir wearing sneering grins enter their room holding the traditional Sarak silver hand binds. The kissing lovers separate instantly. Vasili flushes in embarrassment upon seeing the restraints. Seven groans in annoyance but unwillingly holds out his hands to be restrained. Tai paternally consoles him with “It’s only tradition. This is not to say we don’t trust you sleeping together in the same room. But, you see, Vasili is a young unmated Omega and to protect his purity and reputation this is necessary. You wouldn’t want people speaking badly about him, would you? Saying he lacks morals and character? Can’t let you sleep in the same room without these precautions in place.”

Ermir also adds in, “Even I had to do this every time I slept over at Jo’s family. Say you happen to be overcome with sexual desire. You climb on top of him. One thing leads to another. You go from kissing to taking his clothes. You love him and he loves you. Obviously he’d be powerless to refuse you. The situation can get out of control that fast. Just think of these binds as a safeguard in the event that you find yourself in that position, literally.” Seven disdainfully snubs his nose at the terrible joke. Ermir tenderly turns to Vasili, “Please go find Jo, You’ll also have to wear the counterpart.” He deviously mentions again, “Just because Sev can’t do anything to you doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to him.”

Vasili couldn’t stumble out of the room fast enough. He tried to convince himself that even if he and Seven found themselves in that position he’d be able to stop the Alpha and also himself from fully giving in their carnal desires but the more he tried to persuade himself the less he believed it. His face felt like it was burning knowing that his body craved Seven just as much. Probably even more. When he does clumsily stumble into Jo’s room, the sound of chattering reaches his ears.

Jo, Iku, Daria and Nine were joking and teasing about the chastity belt Daria was holding up to the light. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen one of these. Not since Tai and I were dating,” Iku snickers as he reminisces those early years of their relationship. “That man, he sure does have some patience. Even though my family harassed him so terribly all the time, he still wouldn’t stop coming around.”

Jo turns up his nose reminiscing his own experiences. Iku gives an amused know-all grin at the displeased Beta. Jo shoots back with exasperation, “Brother, it’s not true! Ermir always likes to defame me with baseless lies.”

Iku knowingly chortles in a ridiculing tone, “It’s only natural to want to have sex with the person you love.”

Jo’s brows furrow so deep they form a unibrow, “I can’t believe he told Brother that I was the one giving him bedroom eyes when in reality he was the one who never had shame. Every time we slept in the same room, he’d always say ‘Your mother tied my hands so tight it feels like they’re going to fall off. Jo, help me take these off.’ He’d always trick me into stealing the keys from my parents’ room and unlocking the binds just like that. Then he would sneak into my bed and try to seduce me into having sex. He would say ‘Let’s get a rock from outside to break off this damn belt.’ But I never once gave in. Now he likes to change up the story and tell everyone I was always the one who shamelessly invited him first. He goes around telling lies to make me mad. Even Brother now thinks I had a habit of throwing myself at him. How dare he spread these blatant lies to make me lose face! That man, when I get my hands on him I’m going to strangle him to death.”

Iku tries to pacify the rambling Beta burning with rage before he spontaneously combusted, realizing it was probably a mistake to get Jo so fired up. Though he did have to admit it was amusing to get a rise out of his brother-in-law.

Daria pulls Vasili to the side. “Brother, please undress.” Vasili noticeably pales and breaks out in cold sweat. He’d been dreading having to actually put the chastity belt on. “Just because Sev’s binds prevent him from initiating sex, there’s nothing to stop you, right? If you really wanted to have sex, you wouldn’t let your mate’s hads being tied up obstruct you. You could just as easily climb on top of him.” by the time Daria looks back at Vasili to make more fun of him, Vasili had just removed his waist belt and was hesitantly stripping off his top robe.

Before he gets to taking off his pants, Iku angrily whips his head to Nine who was holding and playing with Milly, more concerned with the baby than the Omegas’ business, “Your future brother-in-law is changing here. Could you at least have the decency to turn away?” Nine confusedly looks back at his Dad, which seems to irritate Iku more. “Why don’t you go see what’s going on with Seven.?”

Daria smacks the teen Alpha’s head hard without warning, “Maybe he’s just curious about what happens on the Omega’s side. Fantasizing that one day you and that boy will get close enough to sleep in the same room and wear these?” Hearing “that boy” being mentioned, Nine perks up and the vultures catch on quickly, surrounding Nine in a circle of smug patronizing grins like hyenas that had just surrounded their prey. “Oh, does thinking about you and him together make you happy? This is your first time falling in love. How cute.”

Nine lamely defends himself against the sneering grins, “So what?”

Iku evilly mentions, “You fell in love so hard with him you caught a fever right then and there. Come on, let us. We’re interested.”

Jo throws in with a cackle, “Did anything happen after that? Did you see him again?” Vasili takes the time that everyone has their back turned from him ganging up on Nine to swiftly put on the cold metallic silver chastity belt.

Nine dejectedly answers, “I’ve been loitering around the marketplace every day since but I still haven’t ran into him again. Maybe the gods are against me.”

This time Iku smacks the teen upside the head. “Now you mention the gods! If the gods are against you then it is none other than yourself that has turned them against you. You do nothing but disavow their blessings every opportunity you get. ‘If they’re so much more powerful than us then why should we have to worship them? Powerful because of us, powerless without us. Maybe they should worship us instead.’ Just watch where your disbeliever mentality gets you one day.”

Nine argues back, “Even if I’m not the most devout, the gods have still always favored me.”

Jo also smacks some sense into him, “A little boy like you thinks he knows about love? Hah!” Nine looks at him with the most over-exaggerated shocked expression that his kind-hearted uncle would smack him. A new person joins the vulture circle.

Vasili, already finished putting his clothes back on, links his arm around Jo and Daria. “I need to hear the full story. Will someone tell me who ‘that boy’ is?” Just his one question was enough for the other two Omegas and Beta to cackle like witches brewing a sinister plan. Recollections of the day Nine saw Alaisdair at the market start exploding out of their guts. The way Nine was talking so fast his mouth almost flew off his face, his dangerously high love fever, his arms flailing around like a demonically possessed conductor. All three of them were rambling at once, reacting at once, and laughing at once. The sight alone was pure pandemonium but Vasili somehow perfectly catching and comprehending all the jumbled details and amusedly joining in the circle of taunts delivers the crucial finishing blow. Just like that Vasili had assimilated and become a part of the family. Nine looked like he was on the verge of tears.

Only once the teen bolts out of the room in humiliated defeat do they stop ridiculing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave some comments on your favorite couple or character so far....I know we've only seen like 2 couples 😅 but still let me know your first impressions of the story, questions, maybe a moment you liked or made you laugh in the chapter or any predictions of how you think the story is going to progress or just anything in general really. Comments keep me alive. One comment=one smile 😁
> 
> The memory with 15 yo Nine is just a memory. The story takes place in present time where 9=21, Alais=16, Akito, Hiran= 10, 9. DK if that was confusing. Next chapter Nine will reunite with Alais! More Akiran! I'll introduce Hachi! I don't want to reveal too much but dare I say I think you'll like Hachi.


	4. A Promise Never Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Splitting chapter 2 into an easy to digest chunk

The weather on this day carried a kiss of blissful summer. This was the family’s last day in Sarak and while Nine was happy to go back home to Bima he undoubtedly had a hint of lingering regret. He just wished he could see that boy once more before going back. Tai and Seven had woken up at the crack of dawn to make sure the family’s horses were fed and watered and all their essentials were packed into the cart. Nine’s family had to cross through the market to get to the mountain path to the temple his family worshipped at. The temple of the god of fortune was built at the peak of an impressively high mountain. To reach the temple required an arduous five hour journey- a three hour walk deep into the mountains and climbing the 100,000 thousand steps to get to the temple which took more or less two hours. Only once a worshipper reaches the peak and crosses their foot over the temple will their pilgrimage be complete.

Iku was walking briskly in front and Tai and the children all trail behind him like a row of baby ducks following their mother as they pass through the familiar market they had visited just a few days ago. Nine was the last duck in line. It was early afternoon. Nine yawns sleepily.

As they passed through the market Nine remembered that the paved mountain path to the temple was filled with flourishing flora and fauna that really made one feel like they were exuberantly walking through a land of perfect paradise. A land that had plentiful fields, vibrant green grass as sweet as honey, music and food that spoke to the soul, and a rich history and culture.

The market had left a deep impression on Nine. Hearing the shared language spoken with a lilting Sarian dialect made him feel right at home. After all he had both Bima and Sarak in his blood. The sun mercilessly shone down upon the market. Beads of sweat glistened on everyone's forehead and many faces turned red due to the sweltering heat. Some held a hand against their forehead to shield themselves from the sun, others made fans out of paper. The odour of sweat mingled with the nose tingling aroma of spices and the sweet smell of flowers coming from the passionately blooming wildflowers sprouting by the roadside. All of these smells mixed together and gave the market a rather unique pleasant scent, which hung in the air from early morning to late evening.

While he was a devout disbeliever of the gods, suddenly a pleasant blowing wind turns Nine’s attention to the familiar voice of an elderly woman far off in the distance behind him. When Nine sees the young boy whom the irate scolding was directed at, he can’t help but feel that the gods did indeed naturally favor him. He secretly falls behind his family on purpose.

The first thing he noticed was golden blonde Greek curls and giddily exuberant greyish-green eyes, and a devilish mischievous smile running straight toward him. The young boy would look back every now and then to see how much ground he'd gained and each time he saw that he was running further and further away his smile would lighten up impossibly brighter. Anyone could tell that the boy was purposely filled with mischief.

By the way Alaisdair was dashing as carefree as the wind uncaring of his controlling grandma shouting after him, Nine once again had that feeling. Like he was free falling from the sky. His heart twinged with acute fear, anticipation, powerlessness, and euphoria. Nine had just been standing there gawking, breathless and intoxicated by the boy’s beauty, when Alaisdair collides right into his chest. Nine embraces the younger boy, partly to stabilize himself so that they both didn’t topple over but mainly because every cell in Nine’s body was telling him to never let go.

Alaisdair was breathless from his mad sprinting and Nine was infinitely more breathless seeing him close. He wanted to say something but his throat felt drier than a desert and his entire body felt like it was lit on fire. The boy in his arms was much shorter, his skin was as soft as velvet and his curly hair was as soft as silk. He carried with him the aromatic scent of the sun and lavender. Alaisdair takes a look backwards and visible panic spreads across his fair face. Alaisdair makes to get out of Nine’s embrace but Nine subconsciously tightens his hold. His grandma was getting closer and the veins popping out on her forehead looked like they were about to burst. “You bastard child! Just you wait until I get my hands on you” she shouts while huffing and puffing with great effort but nonetheless steadily drawing closer.

Nine returns to his senses at her enraged threats. “Do you want to run away?” he asks the scared boy. Alaisdair peers up at Nine dubiously, more apprehensive than afraid,. As his remarkably piercing greyish-green eyes gaze into Nine’s bewitching soft caramel brown eyes, Alaisdair felt some indescribable emotions flutter inside him. Emotions so calm on the surface but wildly tempestuous underneath. But nonetheless decides to trust his guts instincts and nods his head. Nine grabs his frail wrist and takes him away.

Weaving through winding alleys, backstreets, snaking roads and paths, Nine grips his wrist tightly as they agilely snake through crowds. They were fully enthralled in a youthful mad dash for love. Summer was alive and flowers were blossoming like madly crazed lovers. The sky had eyes and the earth had ears.

Iku would probably shave the skin off his back once he realizes that Nine had run off on him but none of the matter right now. Even the cold, beautiful world did not matter. Nothing but this moment mattered,

Blazing through rolling landscapes painted in verdant hues, sun-loving deciduous trees, summer flowers engraved as memories, honoured by their vibrant oranges and reds. This was all Nine could focus on. The heat between where their hands were connected, their uneven breaths, and the sound of Alaisdair’s persistent yet tumbling footsteps close behind. There was no reason for them to continue running, it was impossible for anyone to catch up to them, but they also couldn’t stop running and all the while Alaidair never stopped laughing like a madman having the time of his life.

After what felt like a lifetime of running through the city, Nine and Alaisdair come to a sloped hillside meadow overlooking a meandering creek flowing like a ribbon of living aquamarine . Alaisdair stumbles from the immense exhilaration,, tumbling down the steep verdant-hued grass, and Nine is pulled along. Both roll and roll down the hillside and find themselves on the lush flower-filled bank of the aquamarine creek, sprawled beside each other. Nine, infected by the younger boy’s carefree giggling fits, soon finds himself losing his mind and also lightheartedly laughing for a good long while.

Once they return to their senses, Alaisdair apprehensively scoots further away from Nine who was a complete stranger to him, feeling that he’d gotten rather caught up in the heat of the moment. Realizing that his top robe had slipped off his shoulder, exposing the milky white slope, Alaisdair subconsciously fixes his appearance. Staring at the young boy plucking twigs, flowers, blades of grass out of his curly hair, Nine guessed that he was around ten or eleven. Alaisdair notices the staring Alpha and inches even further away.

Keeping in mind not to leer at him, Nine respectfully turns his head and blocks out Alaisdair with his hand. Finding the ability to speak after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Nine decides to break the ice with, “So why were you running away?” The teen was thankful that fortunately his voice didn’t crack.

Alaisdair drinks in the sight of the refreshingly serene aquamarine creek, a picturesque slice of paradise. It looked like he was fully taking in everything with his entire body with his eyes closed. As if he was keenly listening to the low, steady serenade of the black-yellow bumblebees pollinating the blooming creekside wildflowers, smelling the lush green grass beneath his hands, tasting the fragrance of the flowers’ perfume in the air, feeling the unhurried passings of snow-white clouds and sensing Nine’s presence in his soul. He’d been silent for so long Nine was beginning to wonder if he hadn’t heard him. Just as he intends to repeat his question, Alaisdair looks at him and says “Today, I just felt like it. Grandma is always trying to control every little thing I do. I just got fed up with it.”

That it had to be today Alaisdair got too fed up with tolerating his grandmother’s controlling behavior and Nine happened to be in the right place at the right time for them to run away together? Nine stifles a chortle, grateful for his good fortune, feeling now more than ever that the gods really were favoring him despite his being a stout disbeliever. Noticing his light gray robe colors, Nine starts, “Your clothes…” Gray, white, and black were unlucky colors that were avoided in Sarak because they carried negative connotations.

Alaisdair irritably huffs in dissatisfaction. “I just became a disciple at the temple of the god of purity.” Observing the teen’s confusion, Alaisdair explains but the forced tone makes it seem as if this was something he’d been forced to memorize or believe. “I have to uphold vows of purity. One without purity is undeserving of the gods’ blessings.” The boy heaves another burdened sigh. “I never wanted to become a student at the temple. It’s too strict and rigid. So many things I’m not allowed to do and I have to live there from now on too. All because Grandma can’t stand to look at me. Everytime I do something she doesn’t approve of, she always has to bring up my Dad. She even gave me a name similar to his so that I don’t turn out the same way he did.”

Nine could see the boy had many complaints that he needed to spill out so he quietly listens, occasionally nodding and humming in agreement. Seeing that Nine’s interest was piqued at his last statement Alaisdair swiftly changes the topic. “But it’ll be alright. Because I’ll have Emmi there too! As long as Emmi and I are together, I’ll be alright. I don’t need a family I never had anyways.”

Nine debates whether he should or shouldn’t ask but in the end his overpowering curiosity wins out. He asks cautiously, “If you hate living with your grandma, can’t you live with your parents?”

Alaisdair looked glum. His slim fingers twirl and unwind his golden curls swaying in the breeze. “I don’t have parents,” he says sadly. “I guess neither of them wanted me. Aleistor… My Dad was a Black Hand. He was an unpaired Omega when he had me.”

Nine made no effort to hide his shock. He’d remembered that Iku had once told him that being a Black Hand Omega was worse than being a most despised criminal. An Omega who had lost their reputation, status, and social worth was as good as dead in society. Their right hand would be placed in a scorching hot vat of black ink chemicals that would permanently dye their hands as black as night for all their life as a symbol of their immorality. Sentenced to a life of revile and cast out by society. Unwanted by all. The only choice left for them would be as brothel whores. Worse yet was that any children born from a Black Hand would also be marked as a Black Hand as well and subjected to the same cruel life. If his dad was a Black Hand then shouldn’t he also be one too? Nine looks at Alaisdair’s fair right hand.

The young boy hugs his knees close to him. His lifeless words come out of his mouth as if it was something he was constantly told and memorized. “He died during childbirth in the middle of the street. No one helped him no matter how desperately he pleaded.” Nine could feel gloomy melancholy spreading through him. “Grandma always says that the only thing that surpassed Aleistor’s beauty was his gullibility. He was easily lured away by a dishonest man who’d filled his head with sweet talks of love and in the end the only thing that came out of that man’s so called love was an unwanted bastard.” Alaisdair notices Nine’s unrelenting stare at his fair right hand, continuing with a captivating smile. “But Aleistor was nothing if not stubborn. And even though everyone believed that he was cursed because of his impurity, he believed that the gods never once turned their backs on him. Because they loved him, he said they would also love me regardless. So he swore with his dying breath that if anyone should dare to subjugate me to the same devastating life as a Black Hand, he would rise from the dead and curse them. No one dared." The people of Sarak are heavily superstituous. "Grandma says I look just like him.” Alaisdair smiles with pride talking about Aleistor’s resilience and unbreakable fortitude.

It was easy to imagine that Alaisdair was just as beautiful, as his dad, if not more. Nine swallows around a lump in his throat, “And what about your other parent?”

The smile disappears off the young boy’s face, instead replaced with an expression of combined disgust and hate, “He was an Alpha. A traveling street performer from Bima. He abandoned my Dad as soon as he got pregnant and then my Dad abandoned me. It’s only that simple.” Nine instinctively moved closer to him, wanting to hold the boy in a comforting hug, but not willing to be too forward for fear of coming off as a creep.

A realization comes to him as he observes their peaceful surroundings. A thought to admonish the boy comes to mind. “Do you realize how just dangerous it is to recklessly follow some random stranger you don’t even know?” Alaisdair momentarily tenses up at the sudden scolding. “You’re lucky that it’s me. But what if you came across someone who held ill-will? Look where we are. All alone in this secluded place. Any number of terrible things could happen to you and no one would be able to help you?”

Unexpectedly, Alaisdair breaks out in breathy chortles as a confused Nine’s serious furrowed brows unfurrow. “Brother, if I tell you something, will you believe me?” Nine tentatively nods his head. “Sometimes I can hear my Dad’’s voice warning me. I’m not too sure but I assume it’s him. I don’t know who else would care about me to protect me… even though he was still the one who left me all alone. Anyways, if I come across someone who wants to do me harm, he will warn me to avoid that person. Earlier, when I looked into your eyes, that voice told me that I could trust you. It told me that you are honest and trustworthy. So I went with you. It was only that simple. I’m not so naive that I would just go with whomever.”

His melodically lilting dialect was effectively putting Nine in a mesmerized trance. The more he talked, the more Nine became totally captivated. Nine felt like he could fall in love with just the way Alaisdair spoke alone. It was no wonder Bimans and Sarians were so magnetically drawn to each other. “Even if that’s true, you’re still alone with someone you don’t know. Aren’t you at least going to ask my name?” Alaisdair holds his hand under his chin, looking like he was weighing whether he really wanted to know. Nine tells him anyways. “This brother is called Nine. You don't have to call me Brother. In fact, I’d rather you not call me Brother. I’m not interested in having a brotherly relationship…” he cuts himself off. He didn't want to come on too strong.

By this point Alaisdair was distractedly swishing a leafy branch in the creek, watching the ripples dance. Nine sighs and grabs a flat round slippery gray stone lying at the edge of the creek. The stone hops across the surface of the water multiple times on impact. He bends down to collect a lot more stones, each one bouncing further than the last. When he turns to his side, his gaze is met with Alaisdair’s impressed eyes. Alaisdair also springs to his feet and excitedly gathers stones, enthusiastically skipping stone after stone but none bouncing as far as any of Nine’s. Seeing that the Alpha was snickering under his breath at his amatuer efforts, Alaisdair shoves Nine backwards.

Nine picks himself up still snickering. Of course no one in Bima, in Sarak, or any other country could beat him at skipping stones. This was his speciality. But it was entertaining for him watching Alaisadir sometimes get so frustrated he’d launch his stones with too much strength and sink with a resounding plop! a second later. Nine comes behind him, as he gets ready to throw a stone and offers advice. “You’re holding it wrong. Hold it at an angle. Like this,” he positions Alaisdair’s fingers on the stone. The younger boy barely reached past Nine’s chest. The stone impressively leaps across the creek more than ten times. Alaisdair jumps up and down in excitement, bumping into Nine’s chest in joy. Nine smiles even while getting accidentally smacked in the face by Alaisdair’s arms wildly waving around, empathetically understanding Tai.

“It’s not too bad. But not better than me,” Nine confidently boasts with his chest puffed out.

Alaisdair whips his head around in challenge. “I’m almost as good too!” Nine skeptically shakes his head in doubt. The teen took a lot of pride in his stone skipping skills. Seeing the Alpha’s doubtful expression, Alaisdair fiercely flails around his small balled fists. “Then I challenge you. Let’s see who’ll win.” The scene reminded Nine of a younger sibling challenging their older sibling to a game they would undoubtedly lose.

The outcome was practically set in stone but Nine accepts the challenge anyways. “So if you win?”

Alaisdair was busy gathering more stones near the creekside. “If I win, Brother has to…” he pauses in thought for a long minute, “buy me whatever I want!” He was disappointed that Aaisdair preferred to call him Brother instead of by his name but he also found it childishly endearing. As Alaisdair was thinking of his condition Nine already had in mind what he wanted to ask for once he won the bet.

The teen Alpha swipes his swaying raven black hair out of his face. He’d only now noticed that his hair was starting to get longer than he was accustomed to. “That’s too easy. This Brother here has quite a bit of money to spare so buying whatever you want will not be too difficult. But if I win…” Alaisaidir waits in anticipation, “you have to promise to meet me here again.”

Alaisdair also easily proclaims “That’s too easy!” Nine gathers his own pile of stones in his hand. Alaisdair gets ready to throw his stone, declaring “Starting now.” But right after he tosses it, his stone skips once, twice, and then plummets like an anchor. A flushed Alaisdair looks to Nine standing behind him trying to stifle his laughter. “That was just a test run. This time is the real deal,” he sneakily declares as he gets ready to throw another slippery flat gray stone. The second stone only skips five times and then yet again an embarrassed Alaisdair shamelessly declares it a “practice run.” The third time the stone only skipped eight times he called it a “warm up.” He had excuse after excuse each time his stones sank after just a few bounces but Nine honestly didn’t mind. It was fun and hilarious. After his thirteenth “real deal” throw, his stone skips across the calm aquamarine surface of the creek seventeen times, the highest number he’d gotten.

Nine stretches his shoulder muscles cockily. He could easily surpass seventeen skips even if he had his eyes closed, his hands tied behind his back, and had to throw the stone with his tongue. He skips his stone with great finesse. Alaisdair was counting out loud each skip but once the number far surpassed seventeen, the boy turned to Nine with a miffed glare and a sulky pout. Seventy-five skips. “Well, looks like I won,” the teen Alpha unremorsefully declares after beating the sullen boy with his back turned to him. When Alaisdair does turn back around, he notices Nine holding out his pinky finger. “Remember we made a promise.”

Alaisdair reluctantly holds out his hand but then retracts it. He whines, “I don’t want to play with this Brother again. You didn’t let me win. It’s not fun.”

Nine walks closer toward him, ruffling the back of his head. “If you don’t like skipping rocks then next time, we can do something else. This Brother has a lot of useless talents, like setting rabbit traps or shooting down birds with a slingshot. No bastard in Bima one can beat me when it comes to trapping rabbits or using a slingshot. I’ll teach you." Alaisdair, innocently won over by Nine’s persuasion, also brings his small pinky closer, intending to seal the pinky promise to meet again.

Just as they were about to seal the promise, a big, burly Mahirian man who looked between 30 or 40 years old mercilessly jerks Alaisdair’s arm backwards. The Mahirian man was cruelly gripping Alaisdair’s frail arm so hard purplish-blue bruises were appearing, coldly disregarding the boy repeating “It hurts! You’re hurting me” until he was driven to choked sobs. Judging by Alaisdair’s reaction, this man must be someone he knows. More accurately, someone his grandma had sent after him to bring him back.

It took Nine’s brain a few moments to catch up to the sudden disturbance, but once his senses return all he can hear is the burly man’s enraged grating Sol Mahirian accent and Alaisdair’s pained screams unconsciously sending his body into action. The man was shouting at Alaisdair, “So intent on making your grandmother suffer just like Aleistor? Looks like you inherited more than just his appearance from him. Here alone for so many hours on a carefree date while your grandmother chases behind you like your pet dog. Is your Dad being a disgrace not good that you have to also have to turn into a disgrace too?”

Nine could tell he was from Sol Mahir because when Mahirians spoke the common language of Bima and Sarak it never flowed as smoothly, like the elegance of the language was too much for their philistine tongues to handle. It sounded forced and unpleasant as opposed to how the language rolled off the tongue sounding as sweet as honey when spoken in Sarak and as comforting as a mother’s embrace when spoken in Bima. This man was obviously an outsider. Nine’s body reacts to Alaisdair being assaulted and unconsciously springs into action, doing everything from punching, kicking, biting, scratching, shoving to get the stranger to release the crying Alaisdair. Every cell in his body was screaming ‘Protect.’

But he was just a weak, powerless 15 year old. He was like an ant to an elephant. The man was easily able to fend off the teen, dodging when he could and harshly shoving the teen when he couldn’t. Nine could see that he was starting to get annoyed with his consistent attacks, shouting “And you! You must feel satisfied with yourself tricking a small boy here all alone. If I had come just a bit later, I can’t even imagine what terrible scene I would’ve found. If you tell me you didn’t have a hidden agenda, I will spit on my grandfather’s grave myself. Is this how your parents raised you? They should be more ashamed than you.”

Burning with anger, Nine shouts back, “We were only playing!”

The man retorts, “Playing these games today, playing in the bed tomorrow?” Nine, livid with rage, responds with fiery unrelenting fists, aggressively sinking his teeth and nails into any place he could on the man’s body, throwing mud and stones, doing everything he could to get him to let go of Alaisdair’s bruised arm. Eventually the man gets fed up with Nine’s persistent desperate barrage of attacks and shoves the teen backwards as hard as he could using all his strength. The back of Nine’s head hits the ground so hard his vision blacks out and he loses consciousness.

An indeterminable amount of time passes before he comes to with a shrill ringing in his ears. He unsteadily stands up with great effort, his legs as wobbly as his vision, and drags his battered body to the crest of the sloped hillside meadow. He vaguely makes out the backs of an adult violently dragging away an unwilling young boy. They were already at the bottom of the hillside about hundreds of yards away. A glorious sun the color of melted gold was just starting to set behind Nine. The teen grips his head in hopes that it would stop the ringing as he desperately calls after them. “Wait.” But they were too far away to hear him. Nine takes a deep breath and fights through the immense pain his body was in to use every ounce of strength left in him to call Alaisdair’s name.

The young boy whose eyes had gotten puffy and his nose red from crying whips his head around. Nine had his hands cupped around his mouth. “Remember our promise! We’ll definitely meet again! I’ll definitely come find you! I promise!!” He limply falls to the ground on his knees after shouting his throat raw. Alaisdair shouts something back but Nine couldn’t hear what he said because he was too far away and his voice was too hoarse to carry.

He’d never been this disappointed with his own self. He felt weak, miserable, powerless. His hot tears soak into the grassy ground.

The memories of the summer he learned the visceral taste of love left a bittersweet aftertaste that all at once exhilarated, invaded, and defined his soul. The summer he stood atop a sloped verdant hillside in the outskirts of the rural countryside screaming his love until his throat went hoarse, and looming behind him a splendid dying sun.

\--

Present day Bima

A 21 year old Nine was peacefully dreaming about the memories of that summer, his head was lying on a tavern table. All of a sudden, a bucket of freezing cold ice water is splashed on his face. His body jolts awake with fright and discombobulation. He looks at the offending person holding an empty bucket grinning across from him. His body shivering with cold but warmed by irritation. “You damn bastard,” he menacingly stutters out.

Kiril tosses away the empty bucket with an air of smug satisfaction. “The tavern master wants you to get your knocked out ass the hell out of his tavern and I figured this was the best way to grab your attention. How was your ice bath?” Nine disdainfully flips him off, earning a satisfied grin from the Beta as he tosses a towel at the drenched Nine.

Different voices come from behind Kiril. Giden and Bijal dramatically drum on the bucket, their lack of rhythm fatally damaging to the ears. Nine slams his head on the table. He had a killer hangover and these loudmouths just had to appear to make it worse.

Giden, who had a sun-tanned complexion and a very punchable face says, “Must be nice to have a wealthy grandfather. No limits, no restrictions.”

Bijal who had an annoyingly disruptive personality and an even more punchable face casually remarks, “You can do anything you want when you have money, huh? After all, money equals power.”

Kiril also joins in. “Is it not enough your family is rich, you are an Alpha and your supposed fated pair is supposedly the most beautiful Omega in all of Sarak? Why do the gods have to be this unfair?"

Nine stands up with a sigh and unkinks his shoulders with loud popping crackles. His unstable, cracking voice had now become sonorous, his dark black hair had grown out to his shoulders and was swiped back and held back by a turquoise headband tied around his forehead. His small stature was much more imposing than when he was 15. Now he easily towered over most people and his then scrawny body had now become muscular. His dark handsome facial features were perfectly accentuated. It was just as Iku had predicted: he really did become an undeniably irresistible man.

Nine sluggishly finger-combs through his damp hair. “I thought we were drinking last night. I blacked out?” The other three nod their heads with ear-to-ear grins. “And not a single one of you bastards thought to wake me up?” Three collective heads nod again. The anger starts building up in Nine. “So you bastards let your passed out friend sleep in a tavern overnight?”

They collectively sneer, “Damn right we did.” Nine leaps at them, effectively starting a pursuit resulting in recklessly broken glasses, tables, and chairs. Kiril jukes left and narrowly escapes Nine’s clothesline. “We did try to wake you up though. We called your name so many times but you wouldn’t wake up and you were smiling in your sleep so we just said ‘Fuck this bastard. Let him sleep here tonight.’”

This destruction of the bar goes on for some time before the tavern owner repeatedly bangs on a kitchen pot with a metal pipe, stopping the rough-playing boys. “All of you get the hell out! How many times this month does this make it? Can’t my tavern just for once not be wrecked by you walking disasters? Get the hell out!” He chases after the laughing boys with many threats of beating them to death.

The brilliantly shining afternoon sun was causing hungover Nine to feel dizzy and nauseous and irritated. To release his anger he smacks Kiril walking alongside him. Getting smacked out of nowhere enrages Kiril so he decides to take his own anger out by smacking Bijal next to him. Bijal mindlessly passes the smack to Giden just because. Giden angrily sends the smack back to Bijal, which causes brainless Bijal to smack Kiril harder than he intended. Now Kiril was seeing red and he needed to take his anger out on Nine. Just as his balled fists head toward Nine, Nine menacingly threatens, “Don’t you fucking dare.” Kiril pauses for a quick second and within the next Nine’s head turns from the impact of the punch. Bijal and Giden were already running away.

Nine spits blood onto the pavement. With revenge burning in his eyes, he tackles Kiril’s legs and the two 21 year olds crash on top of an apple cart. The apple vendor who was casually enjoying his profitable day jumps three feet in the air as the wrestling friends that came out of nowhere fall on top of and break his cart. Hundreds of delectable round crimson jewels roll all over the ground in every direction. “What the… you bastards again?! How many times in a month do you need to break my fucking cart?! Just what kind of fucking luck do I have? Do the gods hate me this much? Still here staring at me like I’m your grandfather?? Fuck off!!” The apple cart owner chases after them with a cleaver as the two best friends laugh like madmen.

They had a reputation of being harbingers of destruction. Kiril slinks into a narrow back alley and also drags Nine in with him, the two leaning against the clay wall of the rectangular building with large grins while their chests heaved up and down heavily. This was the city they had grown up in and they were as familiar with it like it was the back of their hand. Finding the old bamboo bench hidden in the shadows just behind the temple school they got kicked out of, Nine suggests they sit down by indicating to the bench with his chin. The first thing Kiril says once he catches his breath is, “Your dad is probably waiting by the door for you with that ladle.” Nine flinches. That probably was the case. “But it’s not like you care, right? Going around saying you’re going to Sarak to learn carpentry from your uncle when we all know the real reason you’re really going.”

Nine leisurely leans back against the wall with his hands criss-crossed behind his bank, “I have no idea what you mean. I only want to pick up a trade and my uncle is a carpenter. What’s so bad about that? Besides, aren't you bastards coming with me using your own flimsy excuses too?”

Kiril scoffs in exhaustion. “That boy has probably forgotten you by now. But here you are still daydreaming about him. I feel embarrassed for you. I mean, if he’s as beautiful as you say then why would he wait all these years for an idiot like you when there’s probably hundreds of Alphas hitting on him a day.”

Nine’s alluring light caramel brown eyes shine with a soft unspoken confidence and a hint of arrogance. “The gods have always blessed me. They’re telling me that my destiny awaits in Sarak.”

Kiril heartily laughs, “Which gods? You mean the same gods you've never believed in?” Nine enjoys the picturesque scene of Bima in the afternoon in the cool shade. Large thick trees were lining the perimeters of the temple school, the canopy above distant like clouds of green and its bouquets of freshly aromatic verdant foliage filtering in streams of light. Once Kiril finishes laughing, he brings up, “Oh. Last time I went to the brothel, the brothel master told me you’re permanently banned from there.” Nine raises an eyebrow. “I heard that Doron refuses to take any more customers because he’s in love with some stupid bastard named Eight.”

This time Nine guffaws, both amused and bewildered. “In love with me? Who did you hear that from?”

Kiril languidly replies, “Who else but the brothel master himself. He said I never want to see that bastard Nine anywhere near this brothel again and other things along the lines of ‘I’ll cut his balls off for disturbing my business.’ But why is it funny that he’s in love with you?”

Nine gets up and dusts his clothes off, “Because it’s impossible for him to be in love with me. Rather, I know the reason why Doron would spread that rumor around himself. I don’t mind it but to be used as a cover like this without my knowledge is kind of an inconvenience.”

Kiril lazily leans back against the wall. “Where are you going? What, do you miss your favorite brothel whore?”

Nine was already walking away as he sarcastically replies, “Of course, I do. He was my first after all. He’ll always have a special place in my heart.”

Kiril lethargically warns, “How fucking sentimental. I almost cried. Seriously though, I’m warning you right now not to go to the brothel. They have these huge guards blocking the entrance. Put there especially for you.” When Kiril sits up to look at Nine, the Alpha was already running full speed. “This bastard.” With a heavy sigh, the Beta who had regained his energy gets up and pursues after the Nine headed toward the brothel.

As for the “guards” at the door, they presented no obstacle against Nine who came blazing past them so fast they couldn’t even catch his shadow. Scaling ten stairs at a time to reach the extravagant rooms at the top of the stairs where the brothel’s best whores lived, Nine rapidly knocks on Doron’s door.

Down below, it was only because of Kiril speeding into the brothel calling Nine’s name that notifies the guards just who the shooting star that flew right by them was. Ten burly guards rush inside the brothel, fully intent on giving Nine a thrashing, but Kiril blocks their path instead and exchanges punches, and invectives to give Nine more time. Nine bangs on the door rapidly. The situation had evolved into a chaotic mess of loud violence, customers screaming, and objects loudly thrown or smashed. But even though Kiril was a loyal friend, ten strong men at once was too much for him to handle by himself. The men had gotten past the Beta and were beelining up the stairs with bulging muscles and vicious eyes.

Nine calmly waits patiently. Doron exhales a sigh so heavy Nine could hear it on the other side of the door. When the door opens the stunning brunette Omega is met with Nine’s laid-back handsome smile. Doron rolls his eyes. “Can you not live a day without making a scene everywhere you go?” Doron half-heartedly fixes his bedhead and rubs at the black collar around his neck.

Nine extends out his hand, prompting for Doron’s hand. Doron places his hand out for Nine to place a gentle charming kiss on the back of. The guards had caught up and roughly grabbed at the unaffected Alpha intending to drag him outside and beat the living daylights out of him. But Nine was still holding Doron’s hand so when he was dragged backward, he smoothly pulls Doron along and in front of him, using the short assertive Omega little more than half his height as his cover. All in one smooth motion. Kiril shakes his head at his best friend’s natural calculated charm. Doron on the other hand stifles a smile. The suave Alpha casually rests his arm on Doron’s shoulder while the Omega firmly orders all the guards to “Get the hell out” and slams the door after them.

He pulls the small Omega further back until Doron’s back is flush against his broad, strong chest, taking pleasure in Doron’s body relaxing at his touch. Ever since Seven brought him here when he was 16, they’d become familiar with each other’s bodies so he knew where and how to touch the Omega. But what they had never exceeded beyond the physical. Nine leans forward and aggressively pulls Doron into a rough sloppy kiss, both of them closing their eyes. In Nine’s mind he was kissing Alaisdair and in Doron’s mind he was kissing the person he really loved.


	5. A Pair of Rebels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whoever said fighting is only for Alphas has never met Hachi before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention that Hiran's name is pronounced Hee-ronh.

The loud commotion of the brothel master raising hell could be heard all the way upstairs. Between intervals of arguing and curses Kiril’s cutting retorts also reach Nine’s ears. Putting out of mind all of the conflict down below caused by none other than himself, Nine winds his arms around Doron’s waist fully intending to deepen the kiss.

But the small brunette firmly shoves Nine away, the light catching off his left hand that bore the gleaming pitch black dye of a Black Hand. Expressions of irritation and annoyance were obvious from his arms crossed across his chest. “Can you not do this anymore, stupid? I’m tired of being your replacement. You keep your eyes closed shut during sex. Even when you kiss me. Did you think I wouldn’t notice by now?”

Nine answers back with amusement twinkling in his eyes, “Spreading a rumor that you’re in love with me then was just to get back at me is much worse, right?” Doron sits disinterestedly on his luxurious canopy bed. The canopy bed was draped with elegant translucent white drapes tied at the four corners. Nine obnoxiously plops down right beside the Omega resting with his eyes closed. Looking closer, Doron looked to be fatigued. 

Doron lays on his side so that the two were now gazing deep into each other’s eyes and Doron was playfully rubbing his foot on Nine’s leg. “I hear you’re going to go see that boy.” Nine pretends to look confused. “Do you really think your bigmouth friends wouldn’t go around spilling your secrets?”

Nine also teasingly returns the question, “I heard that a wealthy Sarian Alpha has been coming around for you bearing expensive gifts no common bastard can ever even hope to afford. But instead of jumping right into the arms of this Mr. Perfect, you would have everyone believe your heart belongs to me just to turn him away. What’s the point of turning away such a perfect man?” Doron rolls his eyes in dismissal of the topic but Nine presses on. “Don’t give me that look. I heard that when he comes here, he only asks for you and no one else. When you’re alone together he doesn’t even dare to hold your hand. He only talks to you all the way from across the room and even offered to buy off the chains around your wrists. A man who really loves and honors you and wants to set you free is still somehow not good enough for you?”

Doron turns away and lays on his back to stare emotionlessly at the ceiling. “I only lied to protect him. If the brothel master found out, he’d have him beat half to death and never let him set foot in here.”

Nine irritably scoffs, thinking to himself “So it’s fine if I’m the one who gets beat half to death for attempting to steal you away from here.”

Doron uncaringly continues, “ It’s only because a man that good shouldn’t fall in love with someone like me that I must send him away. He and I are both very well aware of how critical our society is of every action regardless of how much we try to turn our eyes away from the truth. You already know how they will view us. Everything is about reputation and everyone must know their place. Imagine him and I together side by side.” Doron laughs hysterically as he flails his Black Hand around in the air, putting it in full view.” His face was contorted in a mess of heartbreak and hopelessness. “I’m a filthy brothel whore who's been passed around by hundreds of men and he’s a well-respected wealthy tea merchant. Do you think anyone will look upon him favorably for being with me? His family will probably disown him and everyone will ostracize him. He will have no place to belong in the world. There’s no way I can do that to him even if I do love him.”

Nine stares at the despondent Omega with sympathy. “So then you’re not going to pursue the once in a lifetime love of your life just because you’re scared of being judged by society?”

Doron defensively sits up and hugs his pillow close to his chest. “You see, gossip is what holds civilization together. It reinforces shame. Without shame, the world is a very dangerous place. I’m sure that just in just a few years he’ll forget all about me and meet his real fated pair. Not some brothel whore who’ll bring him shame and ridicule. My relatives sold me to this orphanage when I was just a child as collateral to settle a bet. I can’t and don’t want to leave. I wouldn't know how to survive out there. Either way, it doesn't matter. I don’t matter. Even you, when you make love to me or kiss me the person you’re with isn’t me. I’m just a replacement for you anyways.” 

Nine guiltily turns away at the accusation, causing Doron to unleash a stream of cheerful chortles that effectively dispel the negative aura. Intentionally teasing, he shuffles closer to Nine. “So this boy, just how beautiful is he that no other beauty you’ve come across since you’ve crossed paths with him doesn’t even compare?” Nine intrusively lays his head on the Omega’s lap. Doron tenderly strokes the younger man’s hair as he smiles at Nine’s childish side despite his towering height and age.

Suddenly, Kiril pokes his head in, his tone urgent. “Nine, hurry up. No one has time to wait for you to get your rocks off. These bastards out here aren’t going to tolerate your ass all day.”

The moment Kiril and Doron’s eyes coincidentally meet, Doron shoots the Beta a disdainful hate-filled glare. Kiril returns a spiteful mocking wink. Vicious enmity had been brewing between them for years now but Nine was totally oblivious to their exchange. “I’m almost done. Just keep them busy until I’m done. Won’t take too long,” Nine flippantly replies.

Under his breath, Doron spitefully mutters, “A snake if I ever saw one” as Kiril pokes his head out.

Ignorant and carefree, Nine earnestly replies after some time. “I don’t know what it is specifically about him but just the mere thought of him drives me crazy. It really feels like he was made just for me.”

Doron taunts, “You really have the nerve to say that despite the fact that you are such a terrible judge of character.”

Nine confusedly peers up, “What do you mean?”

Doron evasively dodges the question, “Being deceived by someone right under your nose, I’m sure that it will take you many years to even uncover this person’s deception or maybe you’ll never even find out. You’ll just die believing wholeheartedly he’s your friend. The closer the devil is to you the harder it is for you to see him.” 

Now Nine was fully bewildered about what or who Doron was talking about but before he could question further Doron adeptly changes the topic to one more light-hearted. “ So he’s basically everything you like then. He was made for you but who said you’re made for him. By now he’s forgotten all about you. Or he’s already claimed by someone else. There has to be a limit to how much good luck the gods can bestow onto you. What if he turns you down? Are you going to wait on him forever like Rafa the Great?”

Rafa the Great was the longest ruling and most revered Sarak King but he was famously known far and wide for the fact that he was a strong-minded Omega ruler which was uncommon and generally condemned in those times. Not only was Rafa leagues stronger than any Alpha during his time, but countless songs to serenade his bravery and courage as he led his troops on the battlefield were often drunkenly sung in taverns across Bima and Sarak. However, Rafa the Great was most famously known for having never taken a mate irregardless of the millions of Alphas who vied for his hand. Thus, because of his life of untainted chasteness, Rafa is widely worshiped as the patron saint of purity.

When the door unexpectedly slams open and an out of breath figure erratically enters, Nine and Doron’s carefree laughter comes to an abrupt halt. Their eyes jump straight to the doorway. A figure dripping in gold and diamonds rapidly blares “Doron! Are you hurt?! I heard there was trouble at the brothel! I was on my way to see you when everybody on the main road was talking about some reckless bastard forcing his way in to cause trouble.” The bewildered duo who were stunned by the loud suddenness of the intruder’s appearance were still silent and frozen in place. The Sarian Alpha’s words came out a lot faster than he anticipated but concern and apprehension were clearly displayed all over his face.

Little did he know that the “reckless bastard” who had caused the mess was right in front of his face comfortably resting his head on Doron’s lap. Nine could practically cut the uncomfortable tension in the room with a knife. Doron and the Sarian Alpha were engaged in a staring match. It was only after a while of uncomfortably awkward silence had passed that the Sarian Alpha swallows hard and shakes himself out of his trance. Nine had already sat up and was making to leave the two alone since he’d had his fill of feeling like the bothersome third wheel. Once acknowledging Nine’s presence the Alpha calmly says “You’re with a customer. I hope I did not disturb?”

All of a sudden Doron pulls Nine back to the bed. By the next second he reaches into Nine’s pants and unexpectedly whips out his flaccid manhood. Doron coldly replies “You did. Right now I am in the middle of servicing one of my most important customers. Could you leave.” If before the Sarian Alpha looked unhappy, after Doron’s words he looked absolutely devastated. It wasn’t at the fact that Doron was taking customers. It was obvious that he would have to considering that this was his livelihood but having to see it in front of his own eyes was not something he could stomach so easily. Nevertheless he did not want to shame the Omega for the way he lived his life but he also didn’t have the mental fortitude to bear seeing the person he loved belong to different men with each passing night.

However, just as the Sarian Alpha was making to exit the room in compliance with Doron’s command, Nine hurriedly stops Doron who fully intended on taking Nine’s flaccid length into his mouth just to keep up the act of using Nine as an excuse to turn his inamorato away. Nine courteously pulls his pants up and excuses himself. While passing by the nonplussed Alpha Nine good-naturedly claps him on the shoulder as a gesture of good-will. Before his foot crosses the door threshold, Doron’s voice softly whispering “Nine, don’t go” stops him in his steps. Doron's softly spoken words contained a subtly subdued hint of pleading and cowardice which Nine would never imagine considering how headstrong and proud Doron’s personality is.

If they were alone in a room together Doron couldn’t trust himself to not jump right into his lover’s arms just as Nine suggested. But by following his heart and choosing love he would also be dragging his lover down into the same deep, dark inescapable hell. Doron’s knuckles turn red from clutching at his bedsheets so tight. This was the only way he could hold himself back. If there was nothing to hold him back and no one to obstruct him he would really leap to his feet and knock the wealthy Alpha off his feet in a tight loving embrace. All the while ruining that man’s life by accepting his love. Doron clenches the sheets tighter to the point his knuckles were white and the tips of his fingers were blood red. His mind was racing with millions of different thoughts of how their love story could play out. Some sweet daydreams of living happily ever after with his lover dance through his mind intermingled with cruel nightmares so unpleasant and dreadful that he breaks out in cold sweat.

Nine unhesitatingly marches back to the quivering Omega. He effortlessly pulls away Doron’s small sweaty hands clenching the bedsheets for dear life and takes them into his own warm, large hands. Everything about Nine exuded encouragement and support. Doron looked like he was still internally debating with himself. The Omega weakly whimpers out, “No one will accept us” with difficultily restrained tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Everything about Doron screamed terrified, vulnerable, and helpless and Nine couldn’t help but think that in this one moment he looked magnificently ravishing.

Nine confidently responds, “I will accept you. You deserve to be happy and loved just like anyone else. Right now, right this minute if you run away from destiny the weight of your regret and guilt will destroy you. Be fair to yourself. Don’t carelessly throw away your chance at happiness.” Nine tenderly grabs Doron’s thin shoulders and presses a soft kiss on Doron’s forehead. Both an encouragement meant to lend strength to Doron and also as a final farewell. It was Doron who taught him everything to know about an Omega’s body at the ripe age of 16 without once insulting his honest, clumsy efforts. Patient in his sexual guidance and compassionate in developing something akin to a deep friendship with Nine. There were countless nights where Nine would come to the brothel purely to seek Doron out for advice. It especially stung losing him because Nine was sure that if he never met Alaisdair first he might've fallen for Doron. 

Heaving a small sigh, Nine releases the Omega. Unexpectedly, when he looked at Doron the Omega had a brave smile on his smile.

With that, Nine really exits this time to give the two some time to settle their feelings. It wasn't long after he stepped out that just as he was closing the door behind him, out of the corner of his eyes he blurrily notices Doron’s body, unsteady with overwhelming emotions, abruptly launch himself right into that Sarian Alpha’s arms. The place where he belonged. He had made his choice and he had chosen love. The door fully closes. Nine pensively lingers at the closed door for a good five minutes before he leaves to rejoin Kiril.

\--

Hiran’s frail bruised hand fit perfectly in Akito’s soft, warm hand. Akito still couldn’t get over how elated he was but he had trouble pinpointing the exact cause of his felicity. It could be because Hiran had accepted his hand or that Hiran’s hand fit so perfectly in his like they were made for one another or that the warmth surging through him holding Hiran’s hand made him feel a wholeness and love he had never before known. Akito just couldn’t put his finger on it. Hand in hand, they walk toward the lively noises. 

The orphanage’s dining room was animated with cheerful conversations and easygoing jubilance. During Director Jun’s last visit when he had brought Hiran to the orphanage, he had also fortunately brought along some other much needed necessities scrounged off the generosity of his many friends. Among Director Jun’s successful haul was seeds for the orphanage’s humble garden and enough food to last them at least three months. It was the first time in months that the children of the orphanage had enough surplus food that they could freely eat their fill. That much was apparent from their voracious appetites. Since there was a lot more than usual to go around tonight, Sister Maralissa was standing at the head of the table joyfully ladling out extra portions one after the other to a line of hungry children holding out their soup bowls formed in front of her.

The naughtiest of the bunch were being extra mischievous tonight--once their bowls were refilled they would sprint back to their seats and devour their soft, fresh bread and aromatic soup in several large mouthfuls and then greedily run back in line for more servings. Each time Sister Maralissa caught the naughty rascals red-handed she would ruthlessly spank their bottoms as they hilariously whimpered and yelped around the dining room yet nonetheless still ran back in line for more food and spankings just minutes later. 

All around there was an atmosphere of family, love, laughter, and warmth freely flowing in abundance. Sister Maralissa notices out of her peripheral vision Hiran and Akito’s figures joined at the hands. Because Hiran wasn’t using his cane for support he had to trail his foot behind in an unpleasant limp when walking and lean against Akito’s shoulder while standing. 

All while the heartwarming scene of Sister Maralissa chasing around the unrepentant naughty children was playing out, Hiran had been cheerily taking in the exuberance, feeling like he wanted to join in on the fun but too scared and shy to. Akito grips Hiran’s hand tighter in his. For some inexplicable reason it felt like Hiran’s thoughts and feelings were being transmitted through where their hands were connected. It was a bond that only they had.

Akito considerately walks slow and steady for the injured Hiran with bowls for each of them as they stand in line. Sister Maralissa blankly stares at the children tightly squeezing each other’s hands. Every now and then Akito would give words of comfort to an uncomfortable Hiran heavily leaning his full weight on Akito’s small back. In Sister Maralissa’s mind they looked very close and intimate the closer they approached. Seeing the demure Hiran opening himself up to all of them because of Akito’s presence was astounding and also made Sister Maralissa question how their relationship would develop in the future.

Sister Maralissa’s thin lips perk up in a genial smile. She clasps her hands together cheerfully, “A miracle has taken place tonight! Our new brother Hiran has decided to join us for dinner. May all the gods be praised.” The children speedily echo “May the gods be praised” as lifelessly as possible with stuffed mouths. Hiran shyly looks to Akito. 

She lovingly adds in with a maternal smile, “Don’t worry, my dear. No one will hurt you here. We are all of us here family. Whether from Jiendai or Sol Mahir or whatever other country we are united by our unconditional love for one another.” Hiran contemplatively looks into Sister Maralissa’s kind-hearted eyes and glances around the room at the beaming welcoming small faces and then finally nods his head in understanding.

Akito kindly leads Hiran to the table. This time Hiran had a faint enigmatic smile tugging at his lips. It was no surprise that Akito, who normally sat at the other end of the table across from Sister Maralissa to effectively manage the children, pulled up a chair right beside him for Hiran. 

Hiran’s first meal with the family was boisterous. The poor boy patiently withstood having occasional raspberries blown at him, his light copper red hair getting tugged, and several tiny dirty hands poking his cheeks. If it were not for Akito stepping in to put a stop to their misbehavior, Hiran would’ve probably ran back to his corner. He was effectively their new fun to tease toy. 

The red-headed boy was fully enjoying his meal, oblivious to 4-year old Saia next to him sniffing him and shortly afterwards pinching his nose. He had been at the orphanage for more than a month without once bathing so it was appropriate to say that he smelled less than unbearably unpleasant but no one had the heart to tell him. Instead, after dinner they drag him to the outdoor shed used for bathing and hand him a wooden bucket of water heated on the woodfire stove and a bar of soap to bathe with.

Behind the orphanage some miles off was a deep woods and in that deep woods was a shallow river and to get to the other side of the river one would have to hop across by jumping on the stepping stones path in the water. The outdoor bathing shed was located deep in the woods on the other side of that river. 

The sky was a sheet of star-speckled, cloudless inky black and the night air was chilly as Hiran shakily headed back to cross the river after his bath. He couldn’t recall the last time he had been this clean if ever. The land was unfamiliar to him and all the other children had long since finished hastily bathing and ran back to the orphanage as easily as if the woods were their backyard.

So, Hiran had no choice but to find his way back alone through the woods by following the echoing of the rushing river waters eerily drifting to his ears. Shrubs and tree leaves would rustle noisily, the freezing night wind would blow past his ears spookily. Even the treading of his slow limping footsteps felt creepy. Each sudden movement sent fright pumping vigorously through Hiran’s veins as if it were venomous poison.

The 9-year old boy was lost, cold, and scared but although the eerie atmosphere made the hair on his arms stand up, feeling his small presence under a midnight blue canvas with a heavenly crescent moon smiling down and scatterings of bright stars so brilliant their dazzling starlight drew his eyes heaven-bound made Hiran forget all his unease. As incandescent stars twinkled, his limping steps fell lightly almost as if the stars were guiding his feet home.

Sleepiness had drowsily overcome the orphanage by the time Hiran stumbled his way through the woods. The only person with spry energy was a bustling worried 10-year old. Hiran’s forest green eyes glance around instinctively seeking out Akito’s head of dark auburn brown hair. 

Akito was hurriedly fretting about with an oil lantern in his hands preparing to go out to search for Hiran. He had entrusted it to the children to guide Hiran back once he finished his bath but he should’ve expected leaving things up to the rascals wouldn’t have resulted as planned. His frantic steps were full of fearfulness. In his mind each second that passed something more terrible could’ve been happening to Hiran all alone out there in the woods. His heart was beating erratically worrying for Hiran’s safety.

The young children, because they were drowsily overwhelmed with sleepiness, only cared about stumbling their way to their beds and crashing. If it were not for Neelu sleepily rubbing his eyelids heavily drooping with sleep with his small balled fist listlessly calling out to Hiran leaning against the entrance, Sister Maralissa was certain that Akito would have called an all-night search party for Hiran. The tension flies right out of Akito.

The children yawn and sleepily rub their eyes. Sister Maralissa smiles as she crouches down so that they can each lay a wet goodnight kiss on her cheek and then shuffled over to Akito who loved to pick them up and bounce them around a little which drew a fit of giggles from them before they smacked a wet sloppy smooch on their big brother’s cheek. Hiran watches Akito lovingly interact with his siblings with fascination, unconsciously captivated and even more drawn to Akito. Hiran stands at the entrance feeling a bit lonely and wanting to be closer to the children. To everyone. To Akito.

After the children were all sent off to bed Hiran gives a perfunctory nod to Sister and then hobbles to he and Akito’s bedroom, leaving Akito to give a goodnight kiss to Sister before he also stumbles after Hiran. It had been a long busy day. Akito wanted nothing more than to jump into bed and pass out. He could vaguely make out the sound of Hiran’s leg brace scraping against the hardwood floor. When he stepped into their bedroom he was expecting Hiran to be asleep on his side of the bed separated horizontally by the curtain but Hiran had done something Akito would’ve never expected.

Hiran was sitting on his knees on Akito’s side. Akito was confounded. He confusedly asks “Did something happen?” Hiran shakes his head. He apologetically says, “Are you mad because you had to find your way back? I’m really sorry. I told them not to leave you alone but I didn’t notice until this late because Sister needed help getting the kids ready for bed.” Hiran shakes his head vigorously. “If you’re not mad at me then why are you…?” 

Hiran meekly pats the spot next to him. “Akito, come sit here?”

This was the first time Hiran had called him by his name, the first time Hiran had approached him first and also the first time Hiran voluntarily invited himself over to Akito’s side. Akito, overcome with swelling emotions of happiness, cautiously plops down next to him. A moment of uncomfortable awkward silence looms in the air. The only thing that could be heard in the room was the sound of Hiran’s fingers anxiously tapping on his leg brace. Akito peers over to the fidgeting boy next to him. Hiran looked like he was collecting his courage to do something and Akito was right. Within the next second Hiran abruptly presses a chaste peck on his cheek.

It had happened so quickly that it was only after Hiran’s lips had retracted that Akito realized what had just happened. Hiran was giving him a goodnight kiss. Smiling shyly and blushing a little, Hiran gazes to Akito who was frozen from surprise. His tone was timid and hesitant, “I’m not sure I did it right but good night, Akito.” While Akito was dazed, Hiran stands up with great effort and hobbles over to his side of the bed. However, while Hiran was able to sleep peacefully, Akito was not able to catch even a sliver of sleep. Akito’s mind was still whirling as he was mired in sleeplessness. 

From a wandering street beggar to suddenly having a family and home to call his own was such a sudden transition that it sent Hiran’s mind reeling. Tonight he slept more peacefully than he’d ever had in all his life. Maybe it was due to the fact that Akito was right next to him. Suddenly he notices that Akito’s slumbering shadow was nowhere to be found through the curtain. Panic and worry subconsciously awoke within Hiran.

The moon hung full and hazy beneath an eclipse of blazing stars.The stars hung above them as if strung in the air by invisible strings. The aroma of the tall grasses were an intoxicating perfume and the starry night above was a painting more sublime than any man could create. The clarity above became reflected in Akito’s mind. When he’d had too much on his mind or was particularly bothered by something he would sneak out of his room through the window and climb up to the roof and stargaze until his mind was clear. No one knew this was his most beloved secret spot for when he just wanted to be alone.

Until the clatter of Hiran difficultily stumbling onto the gray roof shingles alerts Akito of his presence. It was because of Hiran that his mind was whirling and now that same person was determinedly climbing up with a broken hand and leg. Akito had wanted to run to assist him but Hiran had already made it all on his own. He was surprisingly a lot stronger than Akito assumed. 

Hiran clumsily crawls across the roof shingles toward where Akito was sitting, breathing ruggedly from exerting great effort, and subconsciously sits close enough that their arms touch. Hiran too was bewitched by the beauty of the night sky. Quietly, Hiran lets himself be enthralled by the stars, holding a deep affinity for their familiarity and companionship for all the long sleepless nights in Jiendai when he had slept on the cold hard ground as his stomach burned with intense hunger.

When Akito gazes over at Hiran ruminatively lost in thought staring at the stars as if they were casting an enchantment spell on him, he stifles his chortle. Hiran mercilessly pinches the older boy’s arm which only makes Akito chortle louder. It was rare for him to be able to act his age since he was usually burdened with having to be the responsible big brother but with Hiran he just felt comfortable. 

Eventually once Akito settles down, Hiran tentatively scoots closer, the connecting point where their arms touched transmitting body heat, and points to the sky filled with luminous twinkling stars. “Whenever I felt alone back in Jiendai I used to name stars. That always made me feel like I had someone to watch over me. It makes me feel happy and safe.” Now that Hiran was opening up about the relevance of the stars to him Akito paid even more attention than when Sister Maralissa was giving him directions. The stars meant a lot to Hiran therefore from this moment on they meant a lot to Akito too. Hiran hesitantly finishes, “And loved. I don’t know what love is but when I look at the stars I feel like maybe I love them. And maybe they love me too. They always come to my rescue when I need them.”

The howling wind was chilly. It was well past midnight. The world was asleep and darkness dominated the earth. 

Hiran softly whispers, “Akito is like the stars too.” The older boy fixes his gaze on Hiran excitedly pointing at the brightest shining star excluding an inextinguishable white light. “ Akito, that star is just like you. Its light never goes out and it was the same star that led me back to the orphanage.”

Akito corrects, “If you call it an orphanage, it won’t feel like home.” 

Hiran affably nods with a surprising beaming grin. “It led me home just like you led me to a place even someone like me can belong to. That’s why I’ll name that star after you. And whenever I need someone I’ll call out to the sky for Akito’s Star to come to my rescue.” Hiran breathed out a breathy relaxed titter.

Akito solemnly swears, “Then just like that star I’ll always be there when you need me. I promise.” He had a lump in his throat but he was earnest and sincere in honoring his promise. To show his sincerity he plucks out a strand of his dark auburn brown hair and repeats the promise again. Hiran watches with intrigue. Akito awkwardly presents the short strand of hair to Hiran. He explains, “In Manzar this is how we make promises. It means that as long as my body is alive I will forever honor my oath to you.” Usually the promisee would take the strand and tie it with a strand of their own hair or tie it around their finger until the strand broke just as assurance of the vow.

When Hiran reaches out, Akito assumes that he is reaching for the strand of hair but Hiran surprises him once again by dexterously in a swift motion clasping both of his hands together on the back of Akito’s head. In the next moment Hiran’s eyes closed and his pale warm forehead was firmly pressed against Akito’s. Softly, he whispers “In Jiendai this is how we make promises.”

\--

Igniting the world anew with such brilliance, the sun rises over Sol Mahir with casual elegance. Its shining rays rain down upon a secluded grove forest where the trees rise upward forever. The drone of insects humming started the usual routine of awakening dawn. Slowly, the forest came alive with the layers of sounds echoing in the cold morning air. 

The forest hums with life all around the 13-year old Hachi. It was home to creatures who dwell with the sweet sounds of moving water and birdsong. This was also his home. Hachi twirls about, gazing up at the forest canopy, his eyes flitting from treetop to treetop in search of the melodious birds that sing so sweetly. The sunlight intermittently breaks through the cracks, lighting up the dirt path ahead of Hachi decorated with outgrown roots, wild herbs and fallen leaves and twigs that crunch beneath his bare feet. Hachi trudges on, taking in the fragrance of minty grass and the damp earth. Each breath is crisp like natural spring water, fresh and cleansing, flowing freely into his lungs.

Hachi’s feet familiarly carry him to the glade where the forest temporarily gives way to the marsh. Unashamedly naked, his body robed in sunlight from head to toe, intimately splashes into the refreshing cold waters of the calm marsh. The herring flounder and the few herons that were strutting atop the surface of the calm waters with their long thin legs scamper away in fright. Little frogs in the marsh croaked perched atop large, broad lily pads. Their webbed feet were stringed with delicate drops of morning dew, glistening in the first shards of sunlight. 

Hachi emerges from the water spiritually cleansed. Without a care in the world, he languidly lays back and floats on the surface of the serene water, admiring the radiant glaring sun of Solis, the royal capital of Sol Mahir. To Hachi, the sun of Sol Mahir seemed to possess a unique dazzling beauty that no other country had. Hachi loses himself in the serenity of nature. Time languidly flies by.

Solis was the royal capital of Sol Mahir and was relatively the most progressive city in all of Sol Mahir. As Sol Mahir was a neighboring country of Sarak it had adopted many of its societal expectations for Omega. Omegas in Sol Mahir were expected to be demure and obedient. 

Hachi was the exact opposite. He would spend whole days splashing around in the waters of the marsh, rolling around in the damp soil of the forest floor, or recklessly scaling the ginormous trees of the grove forest. The forest was his home. Where society could not love or accept him as he was, the forest loved him for everything that he was.

Unlike typical Mahirian Omegas, his words dripped with venom, not honey. If insulted, he returned the slander with worse disgustingly vulgar swears. When antagonized, he exchanged blows with whomever whether Alphas or Betas. Often, he would idly loiter through the city barefoot and filthy without a care despite his high stature as the second son of a wealthy cloth merchant family. He couldn’t even remember when the last time he’d seen his shoes was. 

He certainly had the attractive looks to match his social status. He had sandy blond hair and hazel eyes that had alluring dark blue rings around the iris but nonetheless he was wild, rebellious, and would rather die first before conforming to society’s mold.

The only people who could have an effect over him were his older brother Sansu and another person very special in his heart. The soft glowing rays of the morning sun had been replaced with the angry glare of an unforgiving blazing afternoon sun as Hachi floats with no regards to the passing of time. Once he realizes how quickly the time flew by, Hachi jolts out of the water with a start. The schoolmaster’s last warning to involve Sansu if he skips again repeats in Hachi’s mind. He didn’t particularly care about Sansu’s punishments but he also wasn’t interested in receiving yet another merciless beating from his brother. His parents had long since given up on disciplining his unruly behavior so that responsibility fell solely on Sansu.

His discarded cotton tunic and bottoms hastily fly onto his body as fast as they were cast off. The clothes were originally pure white but they had become so unrecognizably dirtied that they turned a filthy brown. Hachi sprints barefoot through the grove forest easily, letting nature’s wind dry his dripping wet sandy blond hair. Even in the stark darkness of night he could find his way around the forest with his eyes closed. The cool dampness of his wet hair soaking the front and back of his tunic gave reprieve from the scorching heat. Newly invigorated from his marsh bath, Hachi madly races through the forest screeching with his arms outstretched, effortlessly dodging hanging branches and hopping over ancient roots hugging the earth.

By the time he reaches the heart of the city it was late afternoon. Hachi speeding by barefoot with damp hair and filthy clothes, not one local spared a passing glance. This was such a common sight to them that it was not worth even mentioning anymore. Hachi was around half an hour away from the school when a gang of his usual enemies block his way on the wide paved street. An exasperated Hachi skids to a halt. Why did it have to be now of all times.

The bullies stand in his way menacingly, emboldened by their strength in numbers. The one leading the pack points at Hachi's dirty barefeet, in stitches, as he ridicules for all to hear. “You really have neither pride nor shame. It’s not like your filthy rich family can’t afford to buy you shoes but instead you prefer to run around like a filthy peasant.”

Hachi was languidly drying his damp hair with his tunic, uncaring of the fact that his torso was exposed for all to see, not listening to even a syllable of the insults hurled at him. His uninterested calm demeanor flares the anger of the gang of older taller teen boys. Another boy ridicules, “You really have some guts, huh. Strutting around without a collar like a common whore. Maybe the reason you go around acting like a wild child is because a defiant little Omega like you needs a good fuck to knock the nonsense out of you. I’m sure you’ll learn your place once we educate you.” Hachi sizes up the group with boredom.

Another teen ogling Hachi’s exposed torso lasciviously inserts, “If it’s a good fucking he needs I can fuck his brains out with this weapon as much as he needs until he becomes a good little obedient Omega like he’s supposed to.” While talking he perversely grabs his crotch obviously leering at Hachi. “Just once and he’ll be addicted for life.”

A long vexed sigh escapes through Hachi’s lips. Rather than waste his time being held up by their tedious trash talk he annoyedly swings his balled fists and punches the perverted bully. His punch was immensely powerful and landed squarely in the bully’s face. “Addicted, my ass. Who would ever get addicted to your shitty micro-penis?! I have to use a microscope just to see it.”

The other bullies swing into action. Hachi uncaringly continues on the offensive, punching enemies left and right. Despite their numbers, Hachi was a tenacious fighter who refused to go down without a fight. The Omega screeches “This stupid shit is getting old. You stupid fuckers never say anything new. The same thing every time. I don’t have any time today to waste on you lame fuckers. Move out of my way!”

Where one would assume that because of Hachi being younger and an Omega he would not last long against a group of Alpha assailants, Hachi was ruthless and aggressive in his attacks. He was holding his own. Not only that, he was actually forcing them back. His wild punches and powerful kicks mercilessly flew in every direction, turning the bullies black and blue. Although he was doling out more damage, Hachi still took quite a few hits. Seeing that Hachi was giving them a run for their money the desperate leader of the bullies sneaks behind a rampaging Hachi and tightly restrains the strong Omega’s arms behind his back.

But the restraint doesn’t even inconvenience Hachi in the slightest. With a war cry he puts all of his strength into his leg to kick a bully in front of him as hard as he can. The bully crashes into the window of a store. Due to the bully’s momentary shock, Hachi breaks loose and once again begins throwing destructive blow after blow. When he fought he fought wildly and used anything that was around him to his advantage. He didn’t care about fighting clean or dirty. He only cared about proving that just because he is an Omega doesn’t mean that he has to keep his head down and take a beating laying down.

The gang of bullies eventually realize once again that Hachi was unbeatable and cowardly retreat. Hachi mockingly shouts after their retreating forms sticking his middle finger up, “Why are you fuckers running away so fast, do you need to go suck on your mama’s teats? Only good at talking shit! All of you Alphas can’t take down one little Omega, hmph. If that’s all it takes to be an Alpha then even I’m an Alpha too starting today.”

In spite of the side of his face being bruised and his tunic being tattered, Hachi triumphantly dusts off his hands with a beaming victorious grin. All the local bystanders who had stood by as the 13-year old Omega took on a group of Alphas hopelessly shake their heads at Hachi as if he was a lost cause. To them everything about him was outrageous. He had no morals or shame. Even the orphans and wandering beggars had more principles than him. But Hachi obviously didn’t care for their disgusted scowls or their pitying sighs because he was already sprinting off in the direction of the school.

A dry, warm breeze was blowing in through the window. The world outside was hot but the heat inside the classroom was ten times more insufferable. A classroom of about forty 13 and 14-year olds fan their sweaty faces with their bundled sheets of papers. It was already stuffy in there so the more the schoolmaster blabbed on, the more it felt like what little oxygen was left in the classroom was being sucked away. A typical school day lasted from sunrise to sunset. Classrooms were separated by age and gender. Alphas and Betas could be in the same classroom but Omegas could only be in classrooms with other Omegas to avoid anyone going into heat or rut. Hachi hated the rigid oppressiveness of school so he rarely attended. However, Mao, unlike his fellow peers, neither grumbles about the heat nor loses focus on the lesson by fanning himself with his notes or making paper fans. His back was straight and his eyes glued on the board sitting on his folded knees on his cushion that was right next to the window.

He was the best student but that title came with a heavy price. Because of his overly serious and reserved personality, other than Hachi who was his childhood friend he did not have many other friends. To his dismay, just when the thought of what sewer Hachi was rolling around in today crossed his mind, a dense pebble suddenly strikes him on the side of the head. The pebble flew in from outside. Mao holds his throbbing head. It hurt so bad Mao almost wanted to cry but decided to just bravely withstand the tender bruise forming on his skull. He knew who he would find if he looked out the window.

There was only one reckless person who would dare to throw pebbles into the classroom of the school’s most terrifying and stern Omega schoolmaster. Down below outside the window was a courtyard with table benches and on that courtyard was Hachi’s bruised face apologetically simpering at him. Hachi was unaware that the window was open before he threw the pebble, thus the reason why he was pressing his hands together in apology. Mao’s eyes roll so hard it makes the painful throbbing of his head worse. The overall state of Hachi looked terrible as always. Mao himself was the personification of everything expected of an Omega and he took great pride in his meek subservience. When people saw the rebellious Hachi alongside the submissive Mao, they would be overcome with confusion as to how such polar opposites could maintain a friendship.

Mao judgmentally glares down at the filthy Omega wondering just why Hachi stoutly refused to conform. Surely, being accepted by society was much better than being outcast. What could he ever hope to achieve being a rebel? Hachi was standing on a stack of firewood logs laying on the ground to climb up to the classroom on the second floor. Mao distracts the teacher as Hachi wanted. Timidly, his hand goes up in the air. “Teacher, I have a question I’d like to ask.” Mao was of course his best student and his favorite so the schoolmaster pauses the lesson. The meek Omega goes up to the front and stutters and stammers to make up a question on the spot. The schoolmaster’s back was facing the classroom of kids who had already stopped caring about today’s lesson. 

Hachi stealthily hops onto his cushion that was next to Mao’s while the other Omega keeps the stern schoolmaster occupied. Mao finally runs out of fake questions and heads back to his seat. When the schoolmaster’s eyes land on Hachi, the hate for him was apparent. Though it was more accurate to say he smelled Hachi sneak in before he saw him. Unlike when he looked at Mao with admiration, that admiration fizzled out and immediately turned to burning hate when Hachi was involved. Not only did Hachi dare to miss nearly the entire day, when he does show up he was filthy, beat up, and unapologetic. He just couldn’t tolerate Hachi’s unconventional mentality and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The schoolmaster’s glare full of intolerable hatred firmly crashes down on Hachi. By nature Hachi was a spitfire. If someone glared at him, he glared right back regardless of seniority. Mao anxiously shakes Hachi’s shoulder as a warning to break his malicious glare. Glaring at an elder was a sign of extreme disrespect. An atmosphere of hostile confrontation crackles through the classroom.

Neither of the glaring two cared to put up a front of cordiality today. The schoolmaster repulsively comments, “What will it take for you to conform? Does living this lifestyle really seem that good for you? Keep going like this and no Alpha will want you. You’re going to die alone on the side of the road and not one person will care about you to even poke your dead body with a stick. An Omega who runs around all day barefoot like a bitch in heat. Hmph, I’ve never witnessed someone as atrocious as you.”

Hachi’s face contorts with vile wickedness, “My entire existence is atrocious to you, huh? Well, I’m sorry you feel that way but I refuse to fall in line like a mindless puppet. Everyone wants me to dress like this, talk like this, act like this, think like this. Be compliant and obedient. An Omega should be like this, an Alpha should be like that. Why should I change myself just to suit a society of bastards I don’t give a-” Mao tensely shakes Hachi’s shoulders again. Who knew what would happen if things went too far. Maybe Hachi’s family would finally give up on him and send him off to a Omega reform school in Sarak. But Mao was admittedly on the schoolmaster’s side. 

The schoolmaster retorts, “You may not care what others think but others care about how much of an embarrassment you are. You want to fight like an Alpha, nothing’s stopping you from going to Jiendai. A Mahirian Omega should have humility, meekness, and virtue. You unapologetically lack all three. There is no place in Sol Mahir for an Omega who acts as shameless as you.”

Veins were popping out on Hachi’s forehead. With a crooked ridiculing smirk, “You say there is no place for an Omega who fights. But what about Rafa the Great? He is revered and loved as a hero. He was stronger than any Alpha. He fought and won wars. All as an Omega. If the only options for me are to either submit or rebel, I will always choose rebellion. All of you are weak cowering sheep who only do as you’re told. When push comes to shove, I’ll see if you have what it takes to save your miserable lives.”

The schoolmaster’s eyes were bloodshot with anger and frothing spittle flew out of his mouth as he yelled. “The only thing an Omega like you is good for is being tied to a bed in a brothel and raped to death. Isn’t that why you walk around without a collar like a lustful whore seducing Alphas? Nothing good in your future. You deserve to be used as a womb for breeding the children of rapists.” His chest angrily heaves up and down. The stick of white chalk held in his shaking hand was gripped hard. The chalk is whipped straight at Hachi’s face. It cracks in half from the hard impact.

Hachi was livid. His face turned red from anger. “A cowering sheep has no right to talk down to me. The only thing you brainless bastards are good at is making more brainless offspring. Worthless hypocrite. Only good at talking stupid shit like every other asshole. You hate me so much? Well, let me ask where did you buy the clothes on your back? Probably at one of my family’s many stores, right? Hate me all you want but regardless of whether I am like this or not, you are still inferior to me.” Hachi whips back his writing brush and the cushion he was sitting on without remorse. An eye for an eye.

The other students were stunned into fearful silence. No one dared to breathe. A student acting like this toward a teacher much older than him was unheard of.

Just as the confrontation was starting to get out of control Hachi feels a sharp tingle traveling up his spine. His body only felt like this to alert him when a certain person was nearby. His attention was instantly magnetized to the figure outside the window.

Leander, or Lee as everyone called him, yawns for the nth time that day. Listless and fatigued, he looked like he had only just woken up. Lee had an imposingly intimidating stature and his jet black hair and dark brown eyes that looked as black as obsidian just made him that much more intimidating. But to Hachi, other than Lee, no other Alpha in the world was even worth looking at. The 15-year old Alpha turns the corner, heading to his classroom. Hachi knew that by this time Lee was trudging up to a table bench near his classroom. He would stand on the bench to leap up to the window ledge of the second floor of the classroom on the other side of Hachi’s. Then, standing on the window ledge, he’d climb his way up to his classroom on the fourth floor.

Hachi springs to his feet and heads over to the window, intending to follow after Lee. A sharp, resentful voice booms. “If you leave don’t bother to come back ever again.” Hachi whips back around and gives the schoolmaster the middle finger before recklessly jumping down two floors.

It took Hachi some time and effort to scale up to Lee’s classroom. He was shamelessly standing on the window ledge of the third floor classroom, bewildered students and their likewise confused teacher stare at the legs of his filthy pants, while his head peeked into Lee’s class. He was just barely tall enough to peer into the classroom.

Lee was also just as brazen as Hachi for unabashedly jumping into his classroom through the front window as loudly as possible. He brushes off his clothes with disinterest as if he didn't just literally crash the lesson while everyone judgmentally stares him down. Hachi on the other hand was giggling softly at Lee’s nonchalance. Lee was casually heading to his cushion when one of the Alpha girls sticks out her foot and trips him.

She smirks villainously. Her sandaled feet dominatingly cross over the head of Lee who had tripped into a kneeling position. “Here, shine my shoes. Don’t you love shining shoes for money? Pathetic. An Alpha so pathetic that even a low-ranking Alpha like me can have you bow before me. To think that your father used to have so much influence around here. Now the only place where he has any influence is in the whorehouse. Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree either. A father who goes whoring and a whore son.”

Snickers and cackles erupt as Lee shoves her feet off and gets back up. The Alpha schoolteacher himself looked like he was amused but struggling to not join in on the ridicule. Sol Mahir was a prosperous country where a majority of Alphas had high social statuses and immense wealth. Lee was ostracized because of his strange family situation and the fact that his family was dirt broke despite both he and his step-father who once had an illustrious reputation being Alphas. Lee’s dad was an Omega from Bima and his real father was an Alpha from Sarak. While Lee’s dad was pregnant with him, his father had died in a carriage accident. Lee was born out of wedlock which was a big stigma so to avoid being branded a Black Hand his dad had courageously left behind his life and escaped to Sol Mahir where he met Lee’s step-father and formed a pair with him. Lee couldn’t tolerate his alcoholic step-father who constantly ran off with their money and mistreated his dad. 

Another Alpha brashly interjects, “That’s not even his real father.”

Neither humiliated nor affected, Lee replies, “The only people I hold back against are Omegas which no one here is. My mood is not too bad today so I won’t lay my hands on you,” he directs to the female Alpha.

A Beta from the side loudly yells, “So fussy. Did you not get any customers at the brothel? You can ask your whore dad to teach you some new moves to attract customers.” Another wave of snickers ripple throughout. Hachi deeply frowns. Any insults thrown at Lee felt like insults thrown at him. It was no secret that Lee often worked at a brothel in the next town over as a cleaner but people loved to ridicule that he worked in the brothel instead of at the brothel. The Alpha would also shine shoes or scavenge worthless scrap metals to sell to the local blacksmith in that town just for a few meager silver coins. 

Lee’s hands grip around the snickering Beta’s neck. Murderous rage radiated from him. “Insult me all you want but the minute you say anything about my dad, prepare to die.” Lee looked the strangled Beta right in the eyes as he applied crushing force into his fingers. Bones crackle audibly the more power he puts into strangling. The Beta was lifted high into the air. Enraged and frightened, the students tense up. The entire classroom looked like they were ready to leap up and gang up on Lee.

Lee only spared a moment to glance away from the Beta in his grasp to threaten the rest of the glaring Alphas, “Wanna go? Step outside. I’ll take all of you on.” His eyes gaze right into the Beta student’s eyes as his face turns blue, he begins foaming at the mouth and the whites of his eyes are exposed. Only then does Lee toss him to the ground and viciously utter “Pathetic” over the boy painfully racked with hacking coughs. Lee had almost strangled him to death with his bare hands and Hachi was falling more in love.

Hachi’s abrupt snicker momentarily dispels the tension. Of course Hachi was beaming and cackling at the inferior Alpha because Lee had returned the humiliation ten-fold. The students whip their heads to the noisy disturbance at the window. Hachi quickly ducks his head out of view but his hands gripping the windowsill were still very much visible. Lee swears under his breath in annoyance, thinking to himself “Not that kid again.”

The Alpha schoolmaster steps in before tensions escalated uncontrollably. “Your behavior shows your lack of class. Only showed up now and already you cause a fight.” 

Lee spitefully replies, “I caused it? I see your eyes are just for decoration”.

With no counter, he lamely commands. “Go take your seat!” The 15-year old Alpha saunters to the back wall. He slouches against the wall with arms crossed. “Sit down!”

He mockingly replies, “I learn better standing.” The other Alpha students’ were still menacingly following his every move. Violence and hostility brewed deep beneath. One way or another Lee recognized that neither he nor they were going to back down from the fight waiting to happen. Although Hachi had nothing to do with the Alphas’ rivalries, he glared alongside Lee at the enemies. Lee’s enemies were naturally his enemies.

Today’s exhausting classes had at long last ended. A beautiful sunset was dying Sol Mahir in its lustrous hues. Mao and Hachi were seated at one of the many table benches in the school courtyard before walking home together, basking in the beauty of the sunset. Students were emptying from their classes like ants in a line. Hachi was eagerly standing on the bench. Sometimes tap dancing and other times skipping. He was too happy. The last time he was like this he’d done something stupid and injured himself.

Mao rolls his eyes in exhaustion. “Hachi, sit down. It’s just going to be the same as last time.” The person Hachi was waiting for appears. Lee approaches closer. As soon as Hachi comes into sight Lee curses his luck. 

Hachi happily calls out, “Lee, this time you absolutely have to catch me.” Hachi had his back facing the Alpha but he repeatedly turned back every few seconds to carefully gauge Lee’s distance to time his fall.

Mao tugs at the hem of his filthy pants, inaudibly whispering “He hates you. Get down. You’re going to get hurt.” Hachi was really bolder than any Mahirian Omega dared to be. Cursing and fighting could be overlooked but persistently pursuing Lee was sure to give him an even worse reputation than he already had.

The last time Hachi pulled this stunt Lee had heartlessly walked right past as Hachi plummeted head first onto the paved cement. The Omega had gotten a concussion and ended up needing stitches in his skull. Lee didn’t even turn back as Hachi’s head laid in a puddle of blood.

Hachi light-heartedly teases, “If you’re really an Alpha, you won’t let me fall.” In the next second he trust falls backwards. Mao squeamishly covers his eyes, he couldn't bear to watch the bloody scene another time.


	6. A Well-Earned Slap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really, Nine. I know Iku taught you better than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you imagine inviting your crush out and then all of his friends tag along and they just rag on you the whole time? Welcome to Sarak, Nine.

Hachi falls right into Lee’s arms. Lee was really trying to walk away this time too but Hachi had inevitably fallen right into his arms. The scrappy Omega was light and up close his face was lovely. Hachi boldly wraps his arms around the Alpha’s shoulders. He giggles ecstatically, “Finally caught you. Nowhere to run now.”

Any time he laid eyes on Lee, Mao would instinctively quiver as he was doing right now. The older teen appeared overpoweringly terrifying to him but Hachi was able to smile and laugh so easily in his arms as if it was his favorite place in the world.

In his mind Lee explodes with curses. Although he had resentment toward Omegas, he always treated them respectfully albeit keeping his distance from them altogether. But it just had to be his luck that the most infamous, persistent and head-strong Omega in Solis was actively pursuing him with zero shame to be seen.The least Lee could do was put him down gently.

Or at least he tried to. Hachi tightens his grasp around the Alpha’s shoulders, reluctant to leave his arms. Only with great force does Lee cast the Omega desperately clinging to his chest off. Students passing by point and snicker at Hachi dropped to the floor straight on his ass. The Omega just couldn’t go anywhere without causing a scene. Mao wanted to hide under the table bench. Mao was from a distinguished wealthy family of shoemakers. He had a growing fear in his heart that Hachi’s distasteful acts would negatively reflect on him.

Lee makes to get away from the strange Omega but Hachi jogs in front of him and unhesitantly stands in his way. Lee’s patience was dwindling. The words come out gravely, “Move.”

Carefree, Hachi responds, “Why? Scared?”

Lee sizes up the shorter Omega. “I’ve taken shits bigger than you. When I tell you to move, you move.” Hachi stumbles from Lee’s hard shove to the side.

A dramatically colorful twilight sky reflected in Hachi’s elated hazel eyes. Mao’s words were being drowned out. Running around in Hachi’s mind was the feel of Lee’s strong arms wrapped around the back of his knees and waist. The musky scent of the Alpha. His scowling facial features. Mao continues rambling on about who knows what as they walk home. 

The bulbous street lamps brightly illuminated the path up ahead. Although night was starting to fall, the city was more alive than ever once darkness spread. Luminous lights blazed overhead so brightly that it made night indistinguishable from daytime. Vendors roamed the streets aggressively peddling their merchandise. Food stalls horizontally lined the street as far as the eye could see, the wafting aroma of the delicious food enough to make passersby salivate. Busking street performers performed their best enrapturing acts. Convivial chatter merrily blasted from the restaurants and taverns. Sol Mahir lived at night and slept during the day.

Light floating steps. Hachi breaks into a skip. He couldn’t stop thinking about Lee. Ironically, he wasn’t the only one. A group of students were heading toward them, a mob of them coming together. There were at least 40 of them. From that pack Hachi recognized many faces as Lee’s classmates and one of them was the one who was strangled earlier. Putting it all together Hachi knew it was Lee’s entire class planning to jump Lee as retaliation. 

Where a normal person would stop to think, Hachi thought with his heart first then his body followed. Every cell in his body was screaming “Protect.” He had to protect his Alpha. Without hesitation, little 13-year old Hachi hurtles toward the group of 16 and 17-year olds yelling “Hey! Don't think I’m going to let you bastards get off easy!” The older teens didn’t know Hachi or why he was suddenly picking a fight but they nonetheless fought back.

As Hachi began exchanging blows with the group of Alphas and Betas caught off guard, Mao was frozen in fear. His knees were shaking hard. Scared, terrified, afraid of confrontation. Even as Hachi was getting brutally overpowered he uselessly watched like a deer in headlights. His body was in full fight or flight mode but flight was the only option. Every cell in his body was telling him to “Run. Get far away.” His mind was racing with thoughts like “ Save yourself. Who cares about Hachi. He can take care of himself. Other than causing trouble and ruining people’s lives he has no other purpose in life.” Although they were the same age and both Omegas, Hachi had a strength he lacked which made him envy and resent his friend. 

Suddenly, Mao remembers that Hachi’s older brother had just returned from his journey. Only Sansu had any chance of stopping Hachi, so Mao’s frozen legs unfreeze. He bolts off to fetch Sansu, relishing the thought that “Now that his brother’s back, Hachi won’t have the face to act so out of control.”

Tenaciously, Hachi holds his ground. If his fists couldn’t land he’d desperately kick. If his kicks weren’t landing he sank his teeth into flesh. He fought tooth and nail. But his adversaries were taller, stronger, and older. Despite Hachi’s best efforts they seemed like they were only using half of their strength to toy with the younger teen. Lee had taken a detour today of all days so by the time he had reached the street where the fight was happening, from a far off distance he could only make out Hachi’s figure.

Hachi was on the ground gritting his teeth as the Alpha teens kicked his ribs. Lee could see his fists were clenched tightly as if he was squeezing something. He only finds out what it is when Hachi viciously throws two handfuls of sand into their eyes. Temporarily blinded, Hachi wastes no time raining down barrage after barrage of powerful punches. Lee had to admit he was actually impressed with how much fight the Omega had. Once Lee gets closer to the fight he immediately recognizes the assailants’ faces.

He had no obligation to help Hachi but he felt like if it were not for him, the younger teen infatuated with him wouldn’t have involved himself. He felt responsible. Still, he wanted to walk away but then the guilt would eat away at him. Because of that, Lee casually saunters into the arena. One of the boys had his fingers gripping a clump of Hachi’s hair hard. Hachi neither cried nor whimpered. Lee shoves him away from the Omega. “Making a hobby out of bullying little Omegas? Since you’re so eager for a fight, come try out someone your own size,” he says with an enigmatic smirk.

Lee wasn’t expecting a thanks or anything from Hachi so he was in no way surprised when Hachi instead screamed “I don’t need your help!” at him. 

Lee retorts, “Too bad. I have some business with them myself and I don’t have time to wait in line until you’re done. Or what, are you saying I need your permission to handle my business?” Lee was the primary target and now that he had showed up, the mob was fighting seriously. Lee also held nothing back. He was a natural born fighter. Defeat or surrender did not exist in his dictionary. Hachi was busy trying to defend Lee while defending himself. They were all entangled in a belligerent dance of violence and frenzy.

The mob of Alphas held the advantage in numbers. The fight was getting intense. Hachi was fending off an attack when he squints with difficulty over at Lee. The bleeding cut on his forehead was trickling blood into his eyes, which reduced his vision. His nose was also bleeding and there was non-stop ringing in his ears. Lee was fending off multiple attacks from the front, leaving his back wide open. If Hachi had the strength to warn him or prevent the sneak attack behind him he would’ve.

The bone-chilling sound of the wooden club impacting with Lee’s skull makes the insistent ringing in Hachi’s ears stop. The sight of Lee’s downed body sent waves of frenzied rage through him. Hachi couldn’t tell how many minutes or seconds passed but eventually Lee started moving and attempted to get back up. But each time he’d weakly fall back down. The smell of Lee’s blood keenly drifted to Hachi's nose. No one cared about Hachi anymore. The vultures were sneering and circling around the barely conscious Alpha to deal the finishing blows while Lee was down. 

Lee staggers to his feet with great difficulty, albeit he was unsteady and his vision was blurred. He wasn’t going down without a fight. But he didn’t have to fight because within the next second Hachi was standing in front of him. 

In one hand the same club that was used on Lee and in the other hand an old tin full of scalding hot water he nicked from a food stall. Regardless, Lee had too much Alpha pride to allow any Omega to protect him. Let alone one that was younger and shorter than him. Shoving Hachi’s shoulder, he hoarsely says “This isn’t your fight. Move.” Hachi couldn't be budged no matter how hard Lee shoved him. Looking to the circle of Alphas, Lee realized they appeared to be noticeably apprehensive as they stared at Hachi in the center of the circle.

Hachi looked absolutely feral. Murder was written all over him. He was steadfast in guarding Lee. His pupils dilated with ferocity. Animalistic growls escape from his throat. His menacingly tone gravely resolute, he growls out, “I won’t let a single one of you fuckers lay a finger on Lee. See if you dare.” When a cornered animal feels threatened it fights with everything it has. That’s when they are most dangerous. Hachi’s brain was in the same primitive mindset, willing to die fighting. He needed to protect Lee even if that meant losing an arm, a leg, an eye. 

Doubtful, the Alphas squint at Hachi assertively, thinking “what can one little Omega do to us?” A small group of about ten Alphas exchange looks and nod in agreement. They take one cautious step toward Hachi. Just as the Omega warned, Hachi unleashes an eerie beastial war cry like an animal suffering the throes of death. The scalding hot water splashes out, scorching five of the Alphas who had stepped forward and Hachi mercilessly brutalizes the remaining five with the thick heavy club with the strength of a threatened wild beast. His body was in fight or flight mode except it was all fight.

The Alphas stare Hachi down apprehensive, refusing to admit defeat to an Omega. But Hachi left no openings. If their bodies shifted one centimeter, Hachi’s feral glare fell on them. No one could do so much as look at Lee with mal-intent without Hachi snarling at them. They were uneasy and tense. The streetlight above shined down upon a gang of Alphas cowering before Hachi as the smell and sound of their shrieking friends’ holding their scalded and bleeding faces filled the air. Other than the sound of those wails, the only thing that could be heard was the dripping of Hachi’s nosebleed. 

Lee could barely stand let alone stay conscious. The stand-off had lasted so long that Hachi’s dripping nosebleed had formed a puddle in front of his feet. After thirty minutes of glaring at each other, the Beta who Lee strangled speaks for the group. “Let’s go. It’s not worth it.” 

As they unwillingly begin to retreat, a booming voice calls out “Hachi!” Running in front of Sansu was Mao who had ran to Hachi’s family’s manor and grabbed the Beta. Sansu was neither muscular nor as attractive as Hachi- his looks were more average- but he sincerely cared about his brother. So when he saw his bloody little brother in a circle of retreating Alphas, his brotherly instincts kick into gear.

Once the Alphas start leaving, the adrenaline drains away. Hachi slumps forward, about to fall, but Lee catches him. The Omega in his arms was breathing jaggedly and twitching. As soon as Hachi hears Sansu’ voice, revitalized energy washes over him. He grabs Lee’s hand, frantically leading him away, “Let’s go.”

Had he had enough strength to reject him, Lee would’ve pushed him away. His pride was still wounded but he did feel a sliver of gratitude toward Hachi. If it weren’t for Hachi he probably wouldn’t have left in one piece. Lee stumbles along as Hachi drags him through the brightly lit streets. They were both beaten, bleeding, and bruised but Hachi just wanted to help Lee get away so that his judgmental brother wouldn’t put the blame on Lee for Hachi’s involvement in the fight.

Seeing that they were far enough away, Lee and Hachi catch their breaths on a dark deserted street illuminated only by the light of the lustrous moon. Hachi had his hands on his knees, breathing hard, when Lee towers over him menacingly. Anger was apparent from his tone. “Listen. My business is my business alone. When I tell you to step aside, you step the fuck aside. I’m not interested in you. I’m not interested in any Omegas. Do you understand how annoying you are? Out of all the Alphas in the whole world, why is it that you have to bother me of all people? You’re not ugly and your family is rich. Take your fucking pick but don’t pick me.”

Except to Hachi no other Alpha in the entire universe mattered to him. If Lee refused to accept his feelings forever then he’d rather die alone. It was Lee or no one. Hachi slowly approaches the seething Alpha. Lee holds his ground, unsure of what to expect. Sansu’s approaching footsteps were drawing closer. Hachi gently reaches up, his arms circling Lee’s neck, and wordlessly kisses the Alpha on the cheek. Before Lee can react, Hachi swiftly shoves him into a dark alley where he lands on discarded boxes and putrid trash.

Sansu rounds the corner, finding Hachi alone. He whips out a tree branch he had broken off along the way and begins mercilessly lashing Hachi. “When will it be enough for you?! I haven’t even had time to rest. Can you at least let me take my shoes off and enjoy a meal in peace before I have to run around the city like a headless chicken? I really don’t know what to do with you from now!” Mao had finally caught up. He guilty cowers behind Sansu for snitching on Hachi.

Hachi winces through the lashes. After a while of withstanding the whips, he purposely gnaws at the inside of his cheeks that were in shreds from taking so many punches to cause bleeding. Blood pools up inside his mouth. He times his dramatic act perfectly. Just as Sansu is about to land another lash, Hachi dramatically spews up blood and stumbles around pretending to be dizzy. Just as he pretends to faint, his brother oblivious to Hachi’s deceitful antics catches him and carries him in his arms, still angry but also worried to death. Hachi had all kinds of tricks up his sleeve to get out of beatings.

As the pretender is carried away by Sansu, his eyes meet Lee’s. The Alpha was still hiding out of sight in the alley. Too shocked from the sudden shove to run or move. At first while Hachi was getting lashed Lee almost felt bad and guilty like some part of it was his fault. However, once Hachi started putting on theatrics, he was astounded, softly murmuring “Crazy bastard” under his breath. When Hachi’s eyes meet Lee’s, the Omega secretly sends him a devilish wink.

Lee’s own reaction astonished him. He was smiling. Amused. Captivated. He felt disgusted with himself. Clumsily, Lee pulls himself out of the pile of rubble, swaying a little, and unsteadily walks home.

Compared to the manors and mansions of wealthy Alpha families, his family lived in an old shabby house. He heaves a heavy stressed sigh as he debates whether he should go in. His dad always made a fuss whenever he returned battered. But he and step-father couldn’t stand to be in the same room together so that constant tension poured oil on an already raging fire. The only way peace could be maintained in their house was if Lee often made himself scarce, most times sleeping in the brothel, on an open field outside, or renting a room at a seedy inn with what little money he earned. But without the Alpha teen present, there’d be no one to protect his dad. Other than his dad, no one in the whole wide world mattered to Lee.

Once again, he heaves a sigh then slams the door open. The fragile figure of a person slumped in a kneeling position nervously flinches at the sound of the door slamming. His back was small and his body fragile. Lee tries fixing up his appearance to appear less battered as he approaches his dad. He couldn’t tell what he was doing from behind but once he gets closer he sees.

Savine was nursing his hand. It was visibly limp and had a giant livid bruise at the wrist. Lee crouches down to examine it. Savine quickly hides it away, recognizing and fearing the resentful fury in the Alpha’s eyes. Lee wanted to beat that bastard to a pulp but most of all he wanted to beat himself up. Regrets and guilt added to his outrage. His mind throbs with thoughts of “I should’ve been here. I should’ve protected him.” Seeing that Lee was moments away from rushing out of the house, Savine immediately clasps Lee’s shaking enraged fists. 

His voice was thin and trembling, “Lee, promise me. Promise you won’t do anything. This is something between us. You shouldn’t interfere.”

Losing his cool, Lee shouts back “If I don’t interfere then who will? Am I supposed to just stand by until he accidentally breaks your neck or crushes your skull? That man loses every ounce of rationality when he drinks. Yet, you still tolerate every one of his actions. I told you that I was saving up that money so we can finally move away to Bima- just you and me- but as soon as he bothers you for money you give in to him so easily. You let him drink away money that I worked my fucking ass for. Him bringing whores here and fucking them right under your nose and running off with your money obviously isn’t enough. What will it take for you to finally walk away? And don’t say you love him because no one is going to believe it.”

Lee whole-heartedly loved Savine as his parent and as a person but he loathed the Omega in him. It repulsed him. That weakness, submissiveness, powerlessness disgusted him. It caused him to discriminately despise every Omega for it. Once upon a time, Savine was an Omega who fought against all odds to leave Bima so that he and his son wouldn’t be subjected to suffering as Black Hands. But that fight was beaten out of him. The fragile slumped figure sobbing on the ground was pitiful. 

The Alpha teen helps his dad off the ground, letting him cry on his shoulder as he repeatedly murmured apologies. Comfortingly stroking his hair and wiping his tears. Thoughts of Hachi springs to mind. Unyielding, resilient Hachi. The polar opposite of Savine. Hachi fought like it was him against the world. Lee admired that. But in the end, an Omega is an Omega. It was in their nature to be walked all over. Lee was terrified that one day the Alpha nature in him would lead him to break Hachi. Oppress, subjugate, dominate, beat the fight out of that beautiful Omega fighter. The prospect of loving Hachi terrified him. So, he stubbornly forces down the budding romantic feelings.

\--

The familiarity of Sarak seeped into Nine’s bones. The mesmerizing explosion of colors. Lively chatter and music floated in the air. Unhurried gaits. Bustling outdoor markets. The alluring Sarian lilt. Picturesque sceneries as far as the eye could see. Beautiful Omegas aplenty. Nine delightfully watches the city of Vos speed by from the small window of his fancy covered horse carriage.

Ermir’s cottage appeared much grander than he remembered it. Comfy, cozy, and charming. Nine hops off the carriage and sprints toward the figures of Milly and Jofikar awaiting his arrival in front of their home. Unsurprised, Ermir goes to grab Nine’s luggage while the Alpha swings Milly around. Milly’s frilly rose pink dress and matching pink hair ties as Nine spins his squealing little cousin around until she gets dizzy.

Jo fondly watches his daughter hysterically giggling in Nine’s arms. Nine’s long arms extend over and pull his uncle into a tight squeeze. “Brother-in-law! Come over. Don’t treat me like a stranger.” 

The Beta pinches the Alpha’s arm, retorting “Who’s your brother-in-law?” Nine often liked to call his uncle Jo brother-in-law to tease him. From afar they looked like a loving family of three with Nine holding Milly in his arms and hugging Jo to his side. Ermir just looked like a laboring luggage boy bringing Nine’s belongings into the cottage and taking them to the attic where the Alpha would be residing for who knows how long. “Won’t you greet your uncle?”

Nine chuckles carefree. “Seeing uncle again is good but not really too thrilling. What’s so special about seeing him when I can see my beautiful brother-in-law?”

Jo playfully slaps the Alpha. “This flatterer. You only learned how to sweet talk.” Now that Jo had taken a closer look, Nine had grown considerably taller and irresistibly more handsome. He had become a tall, broad-shouldered man who towered over him. The chuckling Alpha sets Milly down to fully deepen his hug with Jo. 

As soon as Milly’s feet were back on solid ground, she began to neatly arrange her clothes and hair. She wanted to be praised for being lady-like. She woke up early despite not being an early bird to bathe and put on her best dress and had her daddy do her hair in twin pigtails. Little 5-year old Milly clears her throat to get her older cousin’s attention.

The closer he hugged Jo, Nine seemed to realize something. “Brother, I don’t mean to be rude but have you gained weight?” Jo’s stomach seemed to be faintly protruding under his clothes. He only finds out the reason when the vexed Beta tries to break out of the hug. Realization crashes down on him.

Cursing Nine’s keen perceptiveness, Jo scowls. Not even ten minutes since his arrival and Nine had already discovered his secret. Nine gleefully whispers in his ears “How far along are you?”

Jo joyfully mumbles “Three months.”

Ermir was coming back out to grab the last bag when Nine surprises him with a blaring loud “Congratulations, uncle!” Ermir looks at him with bewilderment.

Before he can divulge any more, Jo’s hands swiftly cover his mouth. He whispers under his breath “I haven’t told him yet.” Ermir had become a well-renowned carpenter all over Sarak so his work always kept him busy and oftentimes he would work late into the night and sleep in his atelier detached from the cottage, thus why Jo hadn’t found good timing to give his mate the good news.

Milly loudly clears her throat again, purposely swishing her frilly dress in front of Nine to make him notice. Her lower lip protruded in a petulant pout. She sulkily whines “Brother, you haven’t even looked at my clothes.”

Snickering, Ermir teases, “Uh-oh. Looks like someone is in trouble.”

The little girl continues pouting and whining. “I put all this effort into looking nice for you and you haven’t even once complimented me.” Nine finally admires Milly’s appearance. Her pink dress was cute with its many frills and ruffles and her twin pigtails tied with matching pink bows made her that much cuter. “I’ve already lost patience with this brother. A true gentleman would be more courteous. From now on, don’t cross paths with me. Charmless boor.” But most of all, Nine was more in awe at how witty and eloquent Milly was for her age. 

It was the first time in his 21 years he had been told off by a 5 year old of all people. Nine found it very amusing. “Very pretty. I’ve never seen a little girl as pretty as my little cousin.” 

Milly snubs, “Too late. My humble self is not that cheap.” She was growing into a strong-willed stubborn woman. She also had an attractive light complexion and flowing dirty blonde locks. Once she came into her own, she would definitely become a refined Sarian beauty.

Nine amusedly grins. “I’ve been called many things but Milly’s the first one to put me in my place.” Mischief was written all over his face. “I hope this gift will be enough for this charmless boor to regain your favor?” Nine slowly pulls out a very fine china doll. Milly’s eyes open wide in amazement not only the doll’s beautiful craftsmanship but also at her clothes.

The beautiful doll looked identical to Milly and was amazingly wearing the exact same frilly pink dress and pink bows in her pigtails. Milly squeals and glomps onto Nine. Her words rapidly rush out. “Wow! She’s so pretty. Can I really keep her, Brother? Can I name her Minny?” Jo and Ermir watch the endearing scene Milly adoringly stroking the doll’s hair.

Easily appeased, Milly holds out her hand. Nine gladly grasps it and places a chaste, chivalrous kiss on the back of Milly’s tiny hand. Next, Milly holds out the doll’s even smaller hand. Nine obliges, also placing a quick kiss on the china doll’s tiny white hand.

The pregnant Beta was afraid that the huge smile Ermir was sporting as he watched the heart-warming scene between his daughter and nephew would tear his face in half. Jo ushers them into the cottage. 

The inside of the house also looked a lot more lavish than Nine remembered in his memories from six years ago. As soon as Nine sat down on the luxuriously elegant divan crafted by none other than Ermir, probing questions fell off his tongue. “Uncle, about that matter. I’m sure you’re very well-acquainted with most everybody in the city. You must know where I can find him.”

Jo mockingly cuts in. “I thought you came to learn carpentry.” Nine awkwardly scratches the back of his head, causing a satisfied grin from the beta. “Anyways, save all that for later. You’ve been traveling for days. Have some food and take some rest.” 

Ermir places a glass of cold water in front of him. The excitement and anticipation had clouded his mind but now that he was finally back in Sarak Nine realized that he was actually feeling fatigued, hungry and thirty. Nine greedily gulps down the refreshing water. “I rarely come across him but I do often see a lot of temple students frequenting that place.” The place Ermir was referring to was a buzzing outdoor cafe where many of the youths gathered. Omegas went for the food and the Alphas and Betas went to hit on the Omegas. “If you stake it out for a few days, I’d almost guarantee you’ll eventually run into him.”

Nine eases into the comfortable divan, neither worried nor stressed. He believed that the gods had always favored him. This time was the same. They wouldn’t turn their backs on him. He felt that even if he put virtually no effort into actively searching for Alaisdair, one way or another their paths would cross at some point. Ermir asks “Where’re those other idiots? You wrote that you were all coming together.”

The fragrant aroma of food being warmed and the clinking of dishes being set lulled Nine to sleep. “Of course, I told those bastards to find themselves an Alphas-only hostel. How can I possibly let those bums stay under the same roof as my precious brother-in-law and cute cousin? They followed after me with whatever grand made-up excuses but they’re only here to flirt freely.” 

Nine’s eyelids were starting to droop. His lethargic voice dripped with sleepiness. “Giden’s parents were getting so desperate for grandchildren they were this close to finding him a Manzarian bride. Bijal’s folks almost married him off to one of their livestock. For some reason, I feel like Kiril had a hidden motive for coming. I don’t know what that bastard is hiding from me but we were starting to think he secretly took vows of celibacy behind our backs.” 

Nine dozes off with an easy smile.

It was just as Ermir said. Nine had been in Sarak little more than two weeks. Each day he’d casually sit at the scenic outdoor cafe observing throngs of people go about their business. Many amusing and hilarious scenarios played out there by the hour. It was most funny to Nine seeing the funny disbelieving expressions of extremely conceited and overconfident Alphas turned down. It reminded him of that one time Daria had rejected a Sarian Alpha so hard he was traumatized. 

Some Alphas were weak against rejection but Nine was the exact opposite. The more he was rejected, the more persistent he became. He had inherited that stubborn tenaciousness from Tai. As days passed by, Nine’s head filled with worries. Would he even recognize Alaisdair after six years? The last time he had seen him, Alaisdair was a young 10-year old boy. By now he was a 16 or 17-year old teen. Would Alaisdair recognize him? Nine figured that possibility was even less likely.

All of Nine’s worries were dispelled in seconds. It was on a bright, breezy day. He was swishing a hot cup of tea around in his hand, delightfully relishing the beautiful weather, when a familiar voice drifts to his attention. The voice was resonant and deeper than he remembered it but it was certainly the same. Quickly scanning the crowd, Nine’s eyes land on a head of light golden blonde curls. He could only see his back but Nine was certain that it was him. No one else could possess such a mesmerizing Sarian lilt.

Alaisdair seemed to be complaining about something. If Nine weren’t overwhelmed with joy he would’ve laughed. The last time they met, Alaisdair was grumbling.This time too the Omega was angrily grumbling. “I’ve had enough. If one more approaches me, I will splash water on him.” He was walking with three other friends some ways off. They were all dressed in the sky blue robes of their temple and wore simple golden circlets around their heads.

Every nerve in his body instinctively tensed. Nine’s feet move before his mind can catch up. He found himself calling out to the group, “Excuse me. If I can trouble you for just a moment.” That was the most generic pick-up line Alphas used. 

The group of temple disciples whip around, immediately breaking into laughter but Alaisdair’s expression turns even more sour. They shake Alaisdair’s shoulders teasingly. Seeing his face up close almost made Nine’s knees buckle. He never believed in the gods but just looking at Alaisdair’s perfect gorgeous face was enough to make him want to fall to his knees and worship the divine beauty. The word “Goddamn” slips out from the mesmerized Alpha. The longer he stared, the harder it was to tear his eyes away.

The other temple students were also very attractive but Nine didn’t care because his caramel eyes were glued to the blonde. Alaisdair’s greenish-grey eyes hold Nine captive. The one closest to the blonde Omega responds, “Which one were you calling? Was it this one?” he says pushing Alaisdair forward. His friends loudly snicker and whisper teases to Alaisdair. Nine calling out to them just as the blonde was complaining about getting hit on all day was super amusing to them.

The blonde irritatedly whispers, “Emmi! I already said I don’t want to deal with any more today. I’m not in the mood.”

Emmi happily whispers back while smooshing the blonde’s cheeks, “They can’t help it. It’s your fault for being born with this face.” As Alaisdair starts to retort, Emmi cuts him off to address Nine. “He’s free! In fact, we’re all free. We were planning to just roam around. Brother, will you invite us all?”

Nine understood the question wasn’t actually a question. It was customary in Sarak for friends to invite themselves along on dates, especially if it was with a random Alpha hitting on their friend, so that their friend could feel comfortable and protected. “Of course.” Although he agreed, Nine was starting to feel uneasy from how Alaisdair’s friends were looking him up and down. They seemed like the sort who loved to wittily tease and ridicule. He was weak against those types the most. It reminded him of his childhood with his older sisters who used to mentally bully him to tears.

Two friends grab Alaisdair’s arms in case the Omega stormed off and Emmi pushes the blonde forward telling Nine “Please, Brother, lead the way.” They were loving it. This was hilarious to them. Nine leads them back toward the direction of the outdoor cafe. While they were preoccupied with trying to get the struggling Alaisdair to go along, Nine quickly grabs a young child of about twelve. “Hey, hey! Listen. I need you to go to the Alphas’ hostel to call some people for me. It’s not too far from here.”

The child suspiciously squints his eyes. There was no way he could handle the temple students by himself. At least the numbers would even out if he could call his friends. Also, there was no way his friends would turn down flirting with Sarian beauties. Nine fishes out two gold coins from his pockets to bribe the unwilling child with. The boy’s eyes suddenly light up, all the wariness gone. Nine gives him a brief description of his friends and the room number.

The boy nods. He greedily reaches out for the coins. Nine hands over only one. “One for calling them. The other for when they get here. And tell those bastards to hurry here like their lives depend on it.” The boy nods again and dashes off in the direction Nine indicated.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the cafe. Nine picks a nice quiet table under the shade of a tree. Behind him, he can hear Alaisdair’s friends muttering “He’s tall” and “Handsome” and “Isn’t he just your type, Alais?” Nine pretends not to hear as he takes a seat. If Alaisdair wasn’t being held prisoner against his will, he would’ve long stormed off. The sneering group remain standing. They stare at Nine pointedly.

Nine understood. They were expecting him to chivalrously pull their seats out for them. It had slipped his mind. Even after Nine pulls out the seats for all four of them, Emmi jokingly mutters “Minus 10 points,” causing the other two to snicker. The boys were in a jovial mood except for Alaisdair who was sitting in the middle across from Nine. 

It was just as Nine figured. Alaisdair hadn’t recognized him and if he had, he did not show it. Whether he did or not didn't really make much of a difference to Nine, anyways. Alaisdair's beautiful face was marred with anger, disgust, and deep hatred. 

The friend to the left of Alaisdair speaks up, “I am Lenihan. You can call me Leni,” he says pointing to himself. He points to the smiling teen on the far end, “That one is Juris.” Then Emmi to Alaisdair’s right. “Next to him is Emmi.” Emmi deviously waves. He saves the main person for last. He dramatically presents the blonde, “This one with the horrible temper is Alaisdair. Don’t mind it. He’s both blessed and cursed with incomparable beauty.”

Nine nervously chuckles. “Of course. We actually know each other a bit.” 

Leni and Emmi teasingly elbow Alaisdair’s ribs. Juris curiously asks “So you’ve met before? Or maybe you mean that this is the first time you’ve built up the courage to call out to him?” Nine ignores the teens’ laughter.

The Alpha lamely responds “Something like that.” He didn’t feel like recounting the full story. “I hope you won’t mind that I invited my friends to join us?”

Emmi grins mischievously, “Eh, I hope we are not intimidating you. Oh! Won’t this brother tell us his name?”

They stare at the older Alpha with interest. Nine already knew the response he was going to get once he told them his strange name. “Nine.” The boys sneer. 

Once they finish whispering comments to each other, Leni asks “Would you mind if we order some sweets, Nine?” 

Nine politely smiles. “Please, have as much as you want. This brother is not cheap.” The Alpha sneaks a quick glance at the black Omega collar around Alaisdair’s neck. Only Alaisdair and Emmi wore collars but the other two did not.

Leni is the first to mockingly scrutinize him. “You mean to say you have deep pockets?” 

Nine humbly declines. He didn’t want to come off too arrogant. “No, no. Just that you don’t have to worry. I can handle the damage.” Of course, chivalrous Alphas were expected to pay for most things anyways.

Leni assesses Nine thoroughly. “Handsome. Tall.”

Juris adds in, staring at Nine’s healthy glowing olive complexion, “Wheat flour face.” This was a term used to describe rich pampered upper-class who had grown up eating high quality food that commoners couldn’t afford.

Emmi holds out his hand, staring at Nine as he says “Hand” the same way a human would say “paw” to get a dog to give paw. Nine hesitantly places his hand on Emmi’s. Emmi scrutinizes Nine’s hand, squeezing, pinching, rubbing it. After a short bit he remarks, “Clean fingernails. Soft hands. You’ve never worked a day in your life.”

Nine retracts his hand nervously. These teens were reading him front and back like a book. They were happily entertained watching him squirm. Emmi playfully pushes the blonde, loudly whispering, “Alais, he’s interested in you and he’s loaded. Here’s your chance to marry rich.”

Alaisdair’s unamused furrow deepens. “I don’t care. Let’s leave already.” He wanted to be anywhere else as long as he didn’t have to entertain a random Alpha. “Why did you even have to accept his invitation in the first place?”

Everybody was in a happy friendly mood but Alaisdair’s grumpiness put an uncomfortable damper on things. Nine was beginning to feel bad for dragging him into this awkward situation. Emmi pinches Alaisdair’s stomach, annoyed at his friend’s constant moodiness. “Do you have any idea how ugly you look right now? If you never want to see him again after this, then you don’t have to. No one’s forcing you. But just this once, can’t you show a good face?”

Alaisdair sharply replies “I can’t. You know how I feel about Alphas.”

Kiril and the other two dally and goof off behind the boy Nine sent to fetch them. By the time the boy leads them to the cafe, the temple students were boisterously laughing and feasting on the sweetmeats they had ordered. All of them except one. Kiril and the boys leisurely stroll over. Nine tosses the boy his other gold coin.

At first their mood wasn’t too good because they were roused from an exciting game of cards when they were called over. But as soon as they see the attractive beauties sitting across from Nine, they suddenly felt ecstatic and grateful. Bijal and Giden shoot Nine excited thumbs-ups. Nine lazily introduces them. “These bums are my friends.”

As soon as Emmi and Kiril saw each other, familiarity and surprise flashed in their eyes. Emmi almost blurted something out but quickly covered his mouth, instead chortling softly behind his hand. It was an unexpected and also happy development. He didn’t want to expose their secret.

It was customary in Sarak for Alphas and Betas to respectfully bow to seated Omegas before joining them at the table once they were given permission. Kiril bows. The other two lazily bow as well. In unison the temple boys answer. “Please, sit.” Kiril intentionally chooses the seat across from Emmi who was wearing a knowing smirk.

Bijal grumbles, “Who even follows these customs anymore? Too old-fashioned. Wouldn’t you agree?” he cordially asks Juris as he sits opposite him.

Juris shoots back, “I don’t. I actually quite like these old-fashioned customs.”

Bijal shamelessly changes his tone. “I agree. That’s exactly what I said. We have so much in common.” The Biman Beta wanted to get in the good graces of the Sarian beauty. 

Giden sneers, “Your face changed so fast. I can smell your desperation from here.”

Kiril whispers in Nine’s ear, “Hey, seriously? The one in the middle?” Nine nods. “Hmph. Forget it. If a stupid bastard like you actually manages to capture him, I’ll call you Ten.” Everyone on Nine’s side was curiously sneaking admiring glances at the Omega Nine couldn’t shut up about for the last six years. 

Alaisdair’s patience was wearing thin the more Nine’s friends kept tactlessly staring at him. His anger overflows, “The hell are you bastards looking at?”

The light atmosphere dissipated immediately. Emmi placates the furious blonde. “Alais, don’t spoil the mood. Sit down.”

Alaisdair shakes off his hand. “I won’t. There’s no way I’m forcing myself to tolerate being in the presence of disgusting Alphas any longer. Makes me sick!”

The Biman Alphas and Betas were taken aback faced with Alaisdair’s unprecedented harsh words. Exasperated, Kiril scoffs. “Us disgusting Alphas, huh. The only thing that’s disgusting here is your personality. Without your beauty, you’d just be a hollow shell no one would ever get close to. Ripe on the outside, rotten on the inside. Describes you perfectly.” If it weren’t for Emmi stopping him, the offended blonde would’ve really thrown his glass of water on Kiril.

The blonde’s features twist maliciously with unbridled animosity. “All you Alphas are the exact same. Lusting beasts who will say anything, use any tricks to manipulate your prey into your beds. I’ll be damned if I find myself in the company of such unscrupulous animals.” Alaisdair slides his thumb across his throat, “ Why don’t you Alphas do the world a fucking favor and drop dead.” With that, the blonde storms off. Leni and Juris chase after him while Emmi facepalms. He apologetically simpers to Nine and Kiril before running to catch up with his friends.

Nine was still reeling from the shock. He knew Alaisdair’s hatred for Alphas wasn’t without reason. But it was still a shock he had a hard time recovering from. He didn’t know what to do. All he knew was that no matter how hard it would be to get his feelings across to Alaisdair, he wasn’t giving up.

Just like that, days flew by as Nine remained muddle-headed. A typical morning started with the sound of Jo retching in the bathroom. The Beta’s morning sickness was bad. It was taking a visible physical toll on Jo. Nine was starting to get irritated with each passing day not knowing what his next approach should be. Sarak was a huge country. Would they even ever see each other again? 

It was on an early morning about a week after Alaisdair’s blow up that Nine had decided to venture out to find medicines to alleviate his uncle’s terrible morning sickness.

Dawn had just broken. Iridescent rays of sunlight shone through white clouds. Nine tightly wraps his thick outer robe around his chilled body. The sun hadn’t started warming the earth yet. The world was still slumbering. Nine sleepily yawns. The streets were empty. 

Other than the person walking in front of Nine, no one else was around. Once Nine makes out the curly blonde hair, he was dumbfounded at his luck. If this wasn’t the gods intentionally bringing them together because they were a fated pair, then Nine didn’t know what else to think of it. He chuckles wryly, “Isn't this too fortunate? I must've single-handedly saved the world in my past life or something.”

Alaisdair also notices Nine strolling behind him. The blonde shoots him a threatening glare, loudly shouting “Stop following me!” 

Nine snarkily shouts backs, “Does the street belong to you?!”

From Alaisdair’s perspective, it really did seem like Nine had been stalking him and was now following after him to do him harm. How could it possibly be a coincidence that off all the people in Sarak, they would come across each other on this particular road on this particular day at this particular time? 

Alaisdair fearfully quickens his pace. He was an Omega and Nine was an Alpha. The streets were empty. If the unthinkable came to pass, he would scream at the top of his lungs and awaken the entire street.

Nine was utterly nonplussed. He prided himself on his charm, chivalry, and respect toward all Omegas. Granted that in Alaisdair’s defense, his reaction was understandable, this was the first time in his entire life anyone had dared to mistake him for a rapist. They were only walking in the same direction. 

Alaisdair was carrying a large round bundle of fabrics to the tailor to be turned into new robes for him. Nine was heading to the apothecary to find medicines to cure morning sickness. The tailor’s and apothecary were also only a stone’s throw away from each other.

It was only early morning but Nine was already drained from the awkwardness with Alaisdair from earlier. Nine dings the bell on the counter. A small man wiping his hands on the front of his white apron appears from the back. He wore an untrustworthy smile. “Yes? What can I do for you, sir?”

Nine clears his throat. “Do you carry any medicines for morning sickness? In Betas.” The man eyes him suspiciously. “It’s for my brother-in-law. He’s about three months along. His morning sickness is severe. It’s hard on his body. Do you have anything or not? Cost is not an issue.” 

Hearing the last part, the man nefariously rubs his hands together. He reaches for a vial of odorous green liquid and places it in front of Nine. “This is the best I have. Have him take it the minute he wakes up. Works like a charm.”

Nine’s grandfather was one of the wealthiest men in their world. Obviously he knew when he was getting ripped off. Nine irritably sighs and sniffs the foul-smelling contents in the vial. Glaring right at the man, the man shifts uncomfortably. “Think I’m so easy to take advantage of? Don’t fuck with me. Just know that if you sell me some poisonous shit to give to my brother-in-law, you can consider yourself a dead man. If my brother-in-law even complains of his neighbor's joints hurting, I will tie you to a horse and drag you all around the city. Now give me something that’s actually going to work.”

He had assumed Nine would be an easy target. Just a rich simpleton he could scam. It backfired greatly. 

Clearly scared and intimidated, the man hurried stammers “Yes, yes. My apologies, sir. Very sorry. I just have to send for some fresh ingredients. The potion should be done very soon.” He points Nine toward the direction of some exotic plants and chirping insects to amuse himself with while he waits. “Please, please.”

Nine haughtily scoffs and walks toward the doors. “It better be done by the time I return.”

The interior of the tailor’s seemed garish to Nine. He had come to find Alaisdair. Leaving the misunderstanding unresolved left a bad taste in his mouth. He would rather clear the air with the blonde Omega than have him mistakenly believe that Nine was the sort of unscrupulous Alpha who would do something so immoral to an Omega.

Most greedy people became very accommodating once they saw the high-quality of Nine’s robes and shoes. All Nine had to do was flash a charming smile for the tailor apprentice to let him enter the Omegas’ area.

Since it was still so early, apart from Alaisdair there were only four other Omegas in the store. Nine observes from afar as the gorgeous beauty gets his measurements taken by the tailor. Adoration blossomed in his heart. Everything from head to toe just fit so perfectly with Nine. 

Thoughts of him encompassed in his arms flitted through Nine’s mind. He was just the right height. Nine had to wonder how the gods could have custom-made a human so perfect for him. Nine had been secretly admiring him close to an hour.

Once the tailor was done taking measurements and gives him a time frame for the new robes to be completed, Alaisdair heads to the dressing room to change back into his original clothes. Nine quietly tails him. Through the space of the curtains, Nine catches tantalizing glimpses of the Omega’s porcelain white shoulders and delicate thin waist. Nine swallows hard.

Out of respect, he wanted to wait until he was finished dressing, but the Omega had noticed his leaving shadow. Alaisadair quickly covers his naked chest with his robe and anxiously calls out “Who’s there?!” The Omega’s expression was a blend of disgust and horror when he moves the curtain and finds Nine who was just about to leave. “Not only are you a stalker, you’re also a peeping tom?!”

Nine automatically facepalms himself. It was misunderstanding after misunderstanding. With a huge sigh, he begins, “You’re jumping to invalid conclusions. Also, I didn’t really see anything. Can you please hear me out?”

But Alaisdair angrily cuts him off. “What’s there to hear out?! You followed me here and now you’re sneaking around watching me change.” Before he can defend himself, Alaisdair roars “I swear to all the gods if I ever see you again, I’ll cut your balls off. Get out!”

Nine wanted to repeatedly smash his head against the wall. First he was accused of being a rapist, this time he was accused of being a voyeurist. He had come here to fix one problem and another one popped up. 

The apothecary hands Nine a new vial of potion, repeatedly assuring him of its effectiveness. Nine drops a gold coin on the counter and saunters out back to the tailor to wait for Alaisdair. The blonde’s misunderstandings of Nine were spiraling out of control. Alaisdair had a misconstrued impression of Nine and the Alpha just couldn’t leave it be.

Alaisdair cautiously leaves the tailor with a bundle of new fabrics, half-expecting Nine to ambush him. In his mind, Nine was a stalking pervert who wanted to get revenge on him for rejecting him. To his surprise, Nine was not there. Alaisdair heaves a sigh of relief. 

Little did he know that Nine was waiting for him up ahead on the road. Alaisdair takes a scared step backwards as Nine approaches him. “Wait, I just want to talk. I won’t do anything. I swear. You have the wrong impression.” The Alpha was trying to be as unimposing and harmless as possible but the Omega already had it in mind that Nine was out to do something to him. Alaisdair takes off running.

Nine really wanted to find a rock to smash his head on. If this situation was happening to someone else, Nine would’ve completely been in stitches. But it was happening to him. Chasing after Alaisdair through the streets of Sarak was not something he could laugh at. The streets were starting to fill with crowds of people. Anyone who saw him pursuing the Omega would definitely misunderstand his intentions and report him to the authorities. 

After a heated chase, Alaisdair finds himself in a dead end. His terrified eyes flit around searching for any escapes. Alaisdair warns with a menacing tone, “If you get even a step closer, I’ll scream.”

Nine was still catching his breath. He raises his hands up in surrender. “I won't do anything to hurt you. I just wanted to clear up some things with you. That’s all. I’m not a stalker or a rapist so you don’t have to be afraid.”

Alaisdair doubtfully scowls at him. “That doesn’t matter. You’ve been after me all day.”

Nine explains, “Not intentionally. Well, at first that’s how it started out. We were only going the same way but you assumed that I was following you. Then he assumed I was a rapist. I wanted to tell you that I really meant no harm. I didn’t want you carrying around a bad impression of me. It just didn’t sit well with me. That’s why I approached you to clear the air. Then you assumed I was peeping. See, it was all just a string of misunderstandings.”

Alaisdair takes a step backwards for step Nine takes. His back hits the wall. “I don’t care whether I jumped to conclusions or not. All Alphas are exactly just that. Perverted, lusting beasts who only care about satisfying their sexual desires.”

Nine annoyedly replies, “I already explained the situation. Can you not be like this?”

Alaisdair scornfully retaliates, “Then how should I be? Meek and compliant writhing under you while you rape me? Hah! You wish.” Alaisdair’s words were starting to hit a nerve. Each word dripped with venom. “Think I don’t know how you Alphas operate? Manipulate and deceive your way into an Omega’s heart. Then once he’s head over heels and you get what you want, throw us away. Liars. Deceivers. Beasts.” Alaisdair hatefully spits at Nine’s feet.

Nine wryly chuckles, “When you categorize all Alphas into one category like that, it just makes you look childish.” He could feel the anger going to his head. The petty need for retaliation was clouding his brain. “Since you’re categorizing all Alphas like this, wouldn’t the same be true for all Omegas? All Omegas are lusting whores who can’t keep their sanity without a cock in them all hours of the day. Seducers consumed with desire-” Alaisdair’s face contorted with utmost animosity.

Nine effortlessly catches the hard slap heading toward him mid-air. He mockingly grips the thin pale wrist and presses closer to the struggling Omega’s body pressed against the wall. The threat in his voice was apparent. “With the way you go around spouting all this shit about Alphas, I’m surprised no one’s had you up against a wall and fucked the nonsense out of your head yet.” 

Although it was an empty threat, even Nine realized he had crossed the line. What he had just said was too disgusting for him to even think about. If any bastard had ever dared to utter those same words to his Omega sister Daria, he would’ve ripped the bastard’s head clean off his shoulders. He had only intended to teach the Omega a lesson but things had gone too far. Everything spiraled out of control. Immediately, regret washes over him.

Alaisdair’s chest heaved hard with fury. His body trembled with anger. He yanks his wrist free out of Nine’s grip and slaps the Alpha with every ounce of strength his quivering body could produce.

This time Nine does not dodge. In fact, he felt like he deserved it. Alaisdair shoves Nine out of his way and storms off. Out of the corner of his eyes Nine could see the Omega wipe at his eyes with his sleeve.

Remorse, shame, and regret consumed him. Nine repeatedly bashes his head against the thick cement wall.

He felt bitter and disappointed in himself for immaturely letting the anger rush to his head. Alaisdair was younger than him. Besides, he already knew Alaisdair’s deep hatred for all Alphas was rooted in his Alpha father abandoning his pregnant Omega dad. Nine needed to be the wiser person and he failed miserably.

He would do anything in the world to make things right with Alaisdair. Anything just for another chance. 

Nine didn’t need to feel his stinging cheek to know that it had already begun painfully swelling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hachi, a real ride or die.
> 
> Will Nine get the chance to make it right? Will he be the one for Alaisdair? Will the relationship between Kiril and Emmi be revealed? 
> 
> Find out in next week's episode of Dragon Ball Z!!


	7. Seeds of Dissent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Posers and pretenders, yet unexposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry that it took me a while to update, guys ☹ My neurosis was getting the best of me. Idk. For me, it's just that little things pile up until it becomes a big thing and then I start getting overwhelmed & doubting myself. Overall, I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter but I really put my all into it so I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Ok, some points to cover. 
> 
> 1) Secondary genders (A, B, O) in this world show up around 11-12 yrs old. Determined by blood tests.  
> 2) I'm going to cover everyone's perspectives. But don't judge too soon, there's going to be a lot of character growth in the chapters to come so you're going to be surprised. I'll let you decide who're the bad guys and who're the good guys.  
> 3) You'll see Jiendai soon. Like really soon.
> 
> P.S. I don't mind if you wanna leave some comments. Also, I think this is the fastest I've reached 200 reads!! Thanks so much guys!!! I know my writing is really terrible & pretentious but right now I really feel like I'm a really shitty singer performing in the streets and thousands of people walk right by but 200 people actually stop & listen & that just really means the whole entire universe to me! I was thinking that to celebrate every 100 reads you guys could comment any special chapters or whatever you wanna see for any characters/couples and I'd choose one. Your thoughts would be really appreciated.

When Nine returned with the morning sickness potion in hand, Jofikar was grateful for the Alpha’s consideration but was much more concerned about what had happened to him to cause the red swelling on his cheek. Three days had already passed since then and Nine was still feeling every bit of the sting in his swollen cheek as if it was yesterday. The rhythmic plip plop of drops of water spilling from the sink faucet did nothing to distract Nine from recalling his last interaction with Alaisdair. 

Not even Milly’s cute giggles as she played with her doll on the floor or Ermir inquisitively staring at him across the room did anything to lessen his festering guilt and self-hatred. He wanted to make it right. Desperately. Just one chance to apologize and explain that it was an out of character lapse of judgment. He didn’t care if it sounded like an excuse to justify his vulgar actions.

Ermir huffs for the hundredth time that night. No matter how many times he asked, his nephew just wouldn’t spill the beans about why he came back sporting a scarlet red slap mark. Jo was helping Nine ice his cheek as Ermir watched. His curiosity was overflowing. Ermir cautiously starts, “So, you went out to buy something and somehow by the grace of the gods, you ran into that boy.” Since Jo’s pregnancy was still a secret, Ermir didn’t know that Nine ventured out to buy morning sickness potions. “So then what kind of situation did you get yourself in to get slapped that hard?”

Nine irritably presses the ice bag against his cheek. “Uncle, not this again. Can you not just leave it alone?” He already felt ashamed enough as it was without Ermir hounding him about it every day.

Ermir sternly crosses his arms, he was determined to get some answers out of his nephew. “I can’t. My brother left your safety in my hands while you’re in Sarak. He trusts me to keep you out of trouble and look out for your well-being. If there’s something important that I need to know, then I have to know. Even if I have to beat it out of you. So, hurry up and spill. Everyone knows you're not an aggressive predator Alpha. So what could you have possibly done or said to him?”

The Alpha sighs in surrender. Nine scratches the back of his head awkwardly, embarrassedly mumbling. “I don’t have the nerve to say it a second time.”

The Beta scowls with eyebrows raised. “If you don’t have the nerve to repeat it a second time, then where did you find the nerve to say it in the first place. You’re more than old enough to settle down with someone and start a family. How can you even think about doing either of those things when you’re degrading someone you supposedly care about?” Nine guiltily looks away. He already knew that without his uncle telling him. Ermir uncrosses his arms with a lighter expression. “Well, you’re your own man. I trust you to clean up your own messes.”

Jo butts into the heavy atmosphere. “Ermie, just leave him alone already. It’s obvious he feels bad. We don’t need to beat him over the head with it.” The pregnant Beta stretches out his arms for his husband to be enveloped in his soothing presence.

Ermir petulantly whines. “I was just saying that I’ve been alive twice as long as the boy and I’ve never gotten slapped.” 

Jo soothingly wraps his arms around him. Only to a second later playfully slap Ermir. “There. Now you’ve gotten slapped.” Jo cackles with delightful laughter as his husband’s mouth hangs wide open in exaggerated shock. Hoping that many kisses and hugs will placate the overdramatic Beta, Jo wraps his arms around Ermir’s neck tighter.

The closer Ermir hugged his mate, the more he seemed to realize something. Jo was on the cusp of his fourth month. From afar, his pregnant belly was not showing that much. It was only when someone hugged him that they noticed his forming baby bump. Ermir sincerely asks, “Jo, are you… eating too much?” The pregnant Beta’s eyebrows angrily twitch at Ermir’s denseness. “I think you’ve gotten fat.” Oblivious to his mate’s angry body language, Ermir continues laughing.

The fuming Beta raises his hand high in the air. Ermir stupidly looks at it, only to be met with a hard painful slap lacking any hint of playfulness. Jo meant every bit of that slap. Even Nine who still sported a prominent slap imprint from Alaisdair’s merciless slap empathetically winced and squinted his eyes. This time, Ermir was perplexed and shocked for real by his mate’s recent moodiness. His mouth lamely flaps open and closed as Jo huffily stomps off and picks up Milly to get her ready for bed.

The interior of the teahouse was refined and decorated glamorously but the gorgeous scenery of the outdoor garden patio where many customers indulged in tea and snacks was even more magnificent. The calm, melodic instrumental notes played inside the bustling teahouse created a relaxed ambience that carried over to the garden patio where Kiril was impatiently tapping his foot waiting for his extremely late companion. 

However, despite the friendly and welcoming mood, Kiril was brewing with vile, sinister emotions that manifested as a hideous twisted facial expression. They had met last year when Kiril was helping out on his aunt’s farm. He had only approached Emmi as a trivial distraction to kill time but the Omega had bought into his act hook, line, and sinker. Now Emmi was actually in love but Kiril truthfully only saw him as his next conquest. The manipulative Beta only kept up with the ruse for the satisfaction of conquering yet another gullible Omega and the prospect of gratifying his sexual desires. 

To him, Emmi seemed to be an easy target. He believed that with how the Omega was practically shamelessly throwing himself at him, all he needed was just a little push and some sweet-talking to get Emmi right into his bed. Even if he tricked Emmi into having sex, no societal consequences would befall him. In this society, only the Omega was ever considered at fault for not having enough virtue to keep their legs closed. Although Kiril was only the Beta son of simple farmers he believed it was his god-given duty to teach every Omega their place in the world.

Kiril hated it most when people did not know their place. He hated Omegas who lacked morals but most of all he hated that one certain person even more. Every time, this person came to mind, he felt like spitting. Kiril’s face twists even more insidiously as his thoughts venture, “Gullible, naive fool. Favored by the gods, my ass. Just you wait until I deal with you.” As soon as Emmi’s approaching footsteps break him out of his thoughts, Kiril’s expression changes immediately.

With his mask back in place, Kiril greets the sweaty, out of breath Omega with a tender smile, surrounded by an air of kind-heartedness and compassion that masked his miasma of wickedness. Emmi was drenched in sweat but nonetheless happily beaming with love. Forgetting himself for a second, he eagerly jumps into Kiril’s embrace with puckered lips. If it weren’t for the Beta’s hand blocking his lips, Emmi’s kiss would have landed. 

Kiril nervously chuckles, “Look where we are.” Emmi calmly glances around at the tea house full of merry customers. “And you’re still wearing your temple robes. Just touching is forbidden. So, how can we even think of doing anything else in front of all these eyes?” Kiril really wanted to praise himself for his magnificent acting skills.

Usually when they met, Emmi would go to the troubles of changing out of his temple robes beforehand to not draw attention. The sky blue robes they wore could only be worn by sworn disciples at the temple of the god purity. The principles of their temple were modeled after the strict virtuous philosophies of Rafa the Great. Rafa spent his entire life chaste, virtuous. Neither tainted nor deflowered. 

It was believed that because of his pureness in body and mind, the gods had immensely blessed him with captivating beauty, strength and intelligence. Despite the endless line of Alphas and Betas vying for his hand, he had never spared them a single glance let alone allowed himself to be touched by any of them. When he died without any heirs, his throne peacefully went to his closest lifelong confidante, an Alpha who had many times publicly declared his strong undying love for the cold beauty only to have his proposals rejected each time.

As a result of Rafa’s influence, many Omegas were raised to believe since young that worshiping the god of purity would bless them with infinite joys because they were of pure mind and pure body. Of all the temples in Sarak, the temple of the god of purity was the most strict and unforgiving. Disciples had to swear a solemn vow of chastity as long as they wore the sky blue robes. 

Therefore, disciples were forbidden from touching anyone who was not a member of their temple. Since even touching was forbidden, it went without saying that holding hands and kissing were frowned down upon. Although most disciples ignored the restrictions and risked getting banished from the temple to secretly flirt around with Alphas. Either way, sex was absolutely not tolerated.

Where the overbearing rigidness of the temple showed was in their attitude toward tainted Omegas. Whereas in Sarak’s strict society if an Omega had sex out of wedlock, they would be labeled a Black Hand. But if a disciple of the temple of the god of purity was proven to have broken their chastity vows, they wouldn’t just be subjected to a miserable life as a Black Hand. They would have both of their hands cut off at the wrist.

However, this did not mean that they had to spend their entire lives being celibate as Rafa had been. If a disciple fell in love and decided to leave the temple, they were allowed to do so. But by doing so, they believed they would lose the gods' blessings. In the first place, it was rare for disciples to leave the temple for love since they were not given many opportunities to interact with the outside world.

Emmi always thought that it was unfair they had to sneak around to date while normal Omegas never had to. He absolutely refused to die a virgin and whole-heartedly believed that once he and Kiril got everything worked out, he could leave the temple and live happily ever after together. Emmi settles down with a suck of his teeth. Kiril shakes his head with mirth as he chivalrously pulls out the chair for him, affectionately placating him with a simpering smile. 

Seeing his lover’s kind smile was all Emmi needed to lift his spirits. They were finally reuniting after a long while apart. He didn’t want to waste time being moody or sulking and he was by nature a happy person who loved to laugh and joke. Emmi’s eyes twinkle with delightful amusement as he greedily picks at the plate of fresh, warm sweets Kiril had ordered. Kiril gently asks, “How did you manage to leave the temple?”

Disciples lived in the temple and were rarely allowed to leave the temple unless they had a serious family reason or there was a festival or they were performing a religious ritual. Emmi mumbles with a stuffed mouth, “Alaisdair’s grandma. She’s gravely ill so our Temple Mother is very lenient with letting him come and go as he pleases. We have permission to accompany him for ‘moral support.’ Whenever we feel like playing around outside, we use her health as our excuse.” Without warning, he blurts out, “I’m still too astonished.” 

The Beta curiously raises his eyebrows, making Emmi snicker. “That your friend is in love with my friend.” Kiril jolts at the word ‘friend.’ Emmi happily continues, “Isn’t this really too much? It’s like the gods are playing with us. I remember you once told me about your best friend who was crazy in love with a boy from Sarak. That the boy happened to be none other than my best friend is really too unbelievable!” Kiril forces himself to laugh. It really was a surprising unforeseen coincidence that no one could have predicted. A slight pink blush spreads across Emmi’s face. He cautiously whispers, “What if we tell them we’re actually together?”

Kiril sternly frowns, “We can’t.”

Emmi defensively cuts in, “My friends can keep a secret. They won’t tell anyone.”

Pretending to be good-natured and dignified, Kiril shakes his head. “It’s not that. I trust you. So if you trust them, then I trust them too.” Kiril internally smirks as Emmi’s blush deepens. “The problem is Nine. You see, he’s really small-minded and egocentric. If he finds out that we’re together, he’ll probably feel betrayed and constantly torment me with complaints like ‘You’re over here enjoying yourself while my love story has ended before it even started.’ He wouldn’t let us be together in peace.” 

Emmi nods in understanding. “So then what if we help his love story be written?” Kiril feigns confusion. He had expected Emmi to say just that. Emmi explains, “I’ll do what I can from my side to persuade Alais. He’s really a pitiful orphan child who has no one other than me so he does whatever I say. Don’t worry about Alaisdair. I can handle him.” Kiril nods and smiles benevolently but deep down he was desperately suppressing a maniacal cackle.

The extravagant temple of the god of purity was built high in the mountain landscape surrounded by autumn trees, isolated from the roar and bustle of the royal capital Vos. Some distance off from the main temple was a rushing waterfall. The white water cascaded down a series of rocky outcrops, giving the effect of many waterfalls rather than just one. 

The rapid torrents of water crashed down into a crystal clear turquoise stream believed to purify the body and soul of anyone who bathed in it that sprayed off the streaming water at the bottom of the stream, creating an ethereal mist. There was a delicate majesty and brilliance in the tranquility, a place of stillness even in the dull roar of the water. 

It was in this stream that the disciples bathed in every evening. A majestic crimson sun was setting behind the mountains, painting an illusion of a surreal infinite dream. Alaisdair was once again in the middle of grumbling to Lenihan and Juris and it was obvious to Emmi who the subject of scorn was the closer he waded over to the trio.

The blonde was at the height of his temper when cold hands suddenly grab his shoulders. The abruptness of the touch causes him to jolt and halt his rant. Emmi playfully peeks out behind him with a radiant grin. “You’re not still on that, are you? Just let it go already.”

Alaisdair was so enraged he flushed red, aggressively spewing with hateful resentment. “Emmi! How can you say that?! Should I just forget what he said to me? I thought you as an Omega would understand more than anyone else.”

To the side, Leni and Juris who were gleefully splashing water at each other join the conversation. “As we’ve been saying, it’s not like you’re completely blameless in all this. We know your personality all too well. The only reason he would do something like that is because you go around telling every Alpha to drop dead. Obviously, if you provoke someone they’ll retaliate.”

The blonde lashes out at the two Betas who were nodding in agreement. “Why are you all ganging up on me? You should be on my side. He threatened to rape me!”

Nonchalant and flippant, Emmi casually wraps his cold arms around the angry Omega. “If he really did want to rape you, he would’ve done it. It’s not like a weak Omega like you would’ve been able to fight him off anyway. So, obviously, he only meant to scare you a little. You’re lucky he was a really nice Alpha. Alais, you know, you seem to stupidly think that all Alphas are passive and gentle. If you said the things you say to any other Alpha, it wouldn’t have ended with just a threat. I’m sure you would’ve returned limping with your clothes in tatters,” Emmi reproaches.

They could see obvious distress and resentment from the contemplative Omega. Emmi’s powerful words had stung but rang with such true validity. The more his friend’s reprimanding words echoed in his head, Alaisdair began to reflect and regret his immaturity. Nonetheless, underneath the consternation there was his natural sheer stubbornness and unforgiving attitude. With a deep-set scowl, Alaisdair turns away with disdain, a nonverbal acknowledgement that he was just as much in the wrong for inciting Nine’s vulgar reaction.

Emmi’s radiant smile lifts the uncomfortable mood that was starting to settle in. He claps his hands together loudly, earning everyone’s attention. They could all tell he was planning something mischievous from his devious Cheshire grin. “Hehe. Now that we’ve established you’re both equally as pigheaded, why don’t you meet him again? Give him another chance to make a good impression on you. This time without your unjustified Alpha prejudice ruining everything.”

As a parentless child with no one to call family, the only family Alaisdair had ever known was his group of friends. Their thoughts and opinions meant the world to him. However, despite Emmi’s persuasion, Alaisdair still felt wronged and hurt. Sensing that he wanted to turn Emmi down, Leni and Juris eagerly jump in, clearly onboard. Though for their own reasons. Whether he wanted to meet Nine again or not, Alaisdair could see that he was outnumbered and overpowered so he had no choice but to give in.

Seeing that the blonde was right where he wanted him, Emmi happily glomps onto Alaisdair in celebration. “Trust me, I only see good things coming from this! Even if he’s not your fated pair, you can still have fun.” If Emmi’s arms weren’t tightly squeezing around his neck, Alaisdair would’ve retorted. “So then tomorrow? Let’s do it tomorrow. Tell Temple Mother that you need to go see your grandma because her dementia has worsened again.”

His grandma was the only living relative he had left. During his whole childhood, she would criticize and compare his every action to his Omega dad Aleistor who died as a Black Hand. Because of that, Alaidair was never particularly fond of her. Nevertheless, using her as an excuse every time was starting to feel morally wrong and unpleasant.

Leni and Juris exchange a look of concern. It was getting to be more apparent that Emmi could be manipulative, controlling and vindictive at times to get his way. Especially for an Omega, he had a strong domineering personality that welcomed those he liked and alienated those he hated. Emmi was the leader of the pack in their friend group so they found it hard to go against him. The Betas could never discern whether Alaisdair was truly clueless of Emmi’s real personality or if he just regularly overlooked it because of how much Emmi meant to him. They were best friends even before they were forced into the temple together.

It was understandable. At such a vulnerable age when he had no one to call family and nowhere to call home, it was Emmi who had given him the love and affection he was lacking. His Omega dad had died in the middle of the street during childbirth, his Alpha father walked out on him before he was born, his grandma hated him because of how much he resembled his dad. Emmi filled in all those roles that no one ever had. He was a friend, a brother, a parent to Alaisdair. Emmi meant more to him than anyone else. He loved Emmi with all his heart and soul. 

The same could not be said for Emmi. Never the wiser, Alaisdair, like a puppet being controlled by a puppeteer, falls right into Emmi’s ruse. Leni, however, was intent on speaking up. “We can’t keep using the same excuse. Temple Mother is eventually going to catch on. Also, stop using Alais as a hall pass to leave whenever you want.” Juris was the quiet one in the group but it was obvious he agreed with Leni.

Although he hated being challenged, Emmi flippantly replies with an easy-going grin, “Why are you guys always so serious? We’re still young. Let’s have fun and flirt. Who the hell wants to stay here forever and be a miserable virgin?” Leni did not mind Emmi’s free-spiritedness. It was just Emmi’s recklessness that he couldn’t tolerate.

Just as Leni was about to rebuke, their conversation was disturbed by the abrupt clanging of the temple bell signaling that it was dinner time. The subtle confrontational tension dissipated. Leni and Juris wade out of the stream to get dressed but not before casting the oblivious blonde a worried look.

Unaware of Emmi’s envious gaze befalling his wet glistening porcelain skin, Alaisdair splashes refreshing water on his face. Emmi seethed with raw envy. Although he himself was very attractive in his own right with his tan complexion, chocolate brown hair and bright blue eyes, he knew he was no match against the blonde. In Emmi’ s mind it was aggravating enough that the blonde was undeniably gorgeous. What really made him burn with raging jealousy was that he believed Alaisdair himself always downplayed his beauty or pretended not to notice or hate all the attention from Alphas he received because of it. Emmi secretly coveted and envied his beauty.

Alaisdair was also wading out of the stream to go to the main hall for dinner when Emmi suddenly links their arms. The mischievously grinning Omega whispers in his ear, “Hey, what do you really think about Nine? Come on, tell me the truth. Isn’t he good?”

The blonde snubs his question. Indifference and disinterest were apparent from his attitude. “I don’t think anything of him. He’s just another Alpha scum. What can possibly be good about him? If it weren’t for you guys wanting to see them again, I wouldn’t have even bothered with him a second time.”

Emmi regarded him with an expression of mute frustration. An exhausted sigh leaves Emmi’s cold pink lips. “You really don’t have good sense for seeing these things. I’m telling you that you won’t find many Alphas as charming, generous, or gentlemanly as Nine. He's tall, he's hot, he's rich. What more could an Omega ask for. Not only that, let me tell you something. When you’re standing together, You complement each other just like a match made by the god.”

Alaisdair stares at him with a mix of extreme disbelief and bewilderment. Emmi lightly chuckles. “The person himself can’t see it but we on the outside can, you know. He just seems so right for you. Trust me. He’s practically every Omega’s fairy tale Prince Charming. Any Omega that turns someone like him down would have to be crazy or stupid.”

A barely audible uninterested mumble escapes from Alaisdair. “If he can have anyone, then all the more reason for him to leave me alone.”

Totally exasperated, Emmi pinches at the blonde’s waist underwater, causing a ticklish Alaisdair to squirm and laugh. “What, want him to chase after you for the rest of your life? Think you’re Rafa the Great? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be able to tell poison and sugar apart. Yet you still dare to talk back to me? What nerve.”

The two Omegas clumsily trip on a slippery rock in the stream with their limbs entangled, drenched and giggling obnoxiously loud as they played around. By the time a disciple donning red robes called them for dinner an hour and a half later, the sun had already set long ago. Not a ray of sunlight was to be seen in the pitch black sky. 

The main dining hall of the temple was lit brightly by hundreds of lights. It possessed an unmatched austere grandeur. A great many very long low tables that seated thousands of disciples spanned the length of the great hall. The hall bursted with giddy chatter. Sitting at the center table was the Temple Mother, her red robes pristine as always. Her graying hair was tightly bound into a bun. Her twinkling eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled. She oversaw all of the disciples with unparalleled regal authority. Despite her intimidating presence, it was well known that she had a soft spot for Alaisdair.

Sky blue robes were for those who might eventually want to leave the temple some day when they find mates. Usually teens who had dreams of romance. Red robes were reserved for those who had definitively swore an oath of lifetime celibacy. Usually much older and more mature. Gray robes were for new disciples who just recently joined the temple. The gray symbolized their youthful immaturity and uncleanliness. During that time, they would be forced to sit through years of lessons about the life of Rafa to learn about virtue and morality until they experienced their first heat or reached of age to receive their blue robes.

Alaisdair settles in on an empty cushion between Leni and Juris. Emmi had to find an open seat some spots away. The Betas simultaneously place the sweets they were saving for him on his plate. Alaisdair had a habit of helping himself to food off his friends’ plates. That especially applied to sweets. Tonight, the Betas beat him to it, causing the three to chortle.

Some distance away, Emmi looks on with jealousy. Though it was their fault for arriving late, all four of them always sat together for dinner. For some reason, he felt like Leni and Juris intentionally did not save a seat for him tonight to exclude him. He hated being excluded. He hated that they were having fun without him. He hated that as always Alaisdair was the center of attention. People just naturally gravitated toward the blonde. It made him feel inferior. Insecure. Ugly. Unwanted. His mind ran with paranoid thoughts. Intense ugly emotions bubble to the surface.

Emmi invites himself over to the table where the three were sitting, placing his hand on Juris’ shoulder. “Jules, let me sit here?” Although he was a Beta, Juris was timid by nature. The way Emmi said it might have sounded like a politely asked question to onlookers, but from Emmi’s passive aggressive hand squeezing his shoulder and his intimidating glare, Juris knew it was not a question. It was a command. Juris silently takes his plate and shuffles to somewhere else in defeat.

Emmi triumphantly settles into the vacated spot, covering a faint smirk behind his hand. “Alais, move closer.” Without hesitation, Alaisdair scoots closer, practically snuggling up against Emmi. “I just needed to warn you about something. There won’t be any meaning to meeting those Bima boys again if you just explode in a fit of rage again like last time.”

Alaisdair noticeably tenses up. “You can’t ask me to play nice just for some Alpha.”

Emmi smoothly picks the sweets off Alaisdair’s plate and pops them in his mouth. “Don’t be immature. If you stay like this forever, you’re going to be left here all by yourself.” 

Disbelief spread across Alaisdair’s face. “We promised we were all going to accept red robes! You really want to leave, Emmi?”

With a shrug of his shoulders, Emmi replies calmly. “Of course I do. You have to think rationally. We made that promise when we were kids. Even Len and Jules want to find mates and eventually leave, right Len?" Leni ignores him, pretending to be too busy eating. Unbothered, Emmi continues, "Were you planning to stay here for the rest of your life? ‘Live a virgin, die a virgin,’ my ass. You want to wear red robes and be as miserable as them?” 

Emmi points over to a table of senior disciples happily chatting amongst themselves. “Look how miserable they look. It’s even more pitiful because they don’t even know how miserable they are. Just because Rafa did it doesn’t mean we all have to. If you want to waste away here, I won’t stop you. But I refuse to do the same.” 

Leni quietly eats his meal by the side, fully aware that Emmi was running yet another ploy. Alaisdair was powerless against him and Emmi thrived on the superiority that gave him. “Just this once, I need you to force yourself to smile, laugh, talk sweetly even if you don’t want to. Just show a good face.” Despite his convincing pleading, Alaisdair still looked unwilling. Emmi knew just the right words to get his way though. “So you won’t do it? Not even for me?”

Alaisdair bites his lip nervously. He didn’t want to upset Emmi but he also didn’t want to fake smiles just for Nine and his friends. Nonetheless, he still nods. Emmi beams with anticipation. “Promise you won’t go back on your words?”

The blonde reluctantly nods. Still unconvinced, Emmi throws himself on Alaisdair. His tan hands snake up the ticklish Omega’s shirt, pinching and grabbing and tickling his torso, causing Alaisdair to topple over in breathless guffaws. Within seconds Emmi had Alaisdair begging for mercy and screeching out “Promise. Won’t break promise. Emmi, stop. Stop. I’m going to throw up!”

Nine was leisurely passing time waiting for his friends in a quiet little eatery in the bustling heart of the city. The eatery was owned by a bonded pair and locally very well known for its comfortable romantic ambience. The aloof Alpha chef cooked while his sociable mate and children handled the hospitality. The kitchen was fairly visible to the customers. 

From observing for about an hour, Nine learned that the Omega energetically jumping between tables was the owner’s mate. The Omega had a deep claiming mark on her nape and from her accent, Nine could tell that she was a fellow Bima countryman.

It seemed the Omega noticed Nine’s curious stares too, radiating familiarity as she casually invited herself into the seat opposite Nine. The sweaty Alpha chef owner nosily peers over the pan of vegetables he was stir frying. He wipes at the sweat getting into his eyes with the towel draped around his neck. His mate’s interaction with new customers regularly made him apprehensive.

She was a talkative person who acted overly familiar with strangers. Most customers felt uncomfortable or put off at first but then would eventually warm up to her welcoming personality. As the chef predicted, Nine was overwhelmed by the Omega’s imposing friendliness but Nine was strictly raised to be respectful toward Omegas so a cordial smile easily finds its way to his face.

The talkative Omega reciprocates with a pitying smile of her own. She shakes her head judgmentally. “Little brother, I noticed your face from all the way back there. It’s really just too impressive. What happened?” Now that Nine was hearing her up close, it seemed that her Bima accent was weak, dulled from having lived in Sarak to be with her mate for decades. It was common for Bima and Sarak’s people to familiarly address each other in brotherly or sisterly regard.

Nine touches his swollen cheek fondly. “I messed up.”

She continues shaking her head while sucking her teeth piteously. “This poor little brother. These Sarians, they are as sensitive as they are beautiful. Every little thing offends them. Not like us, right? Built strong!” She smacks her chest to brag. “Just today, I was groped by five Alphas. Guess what I did? I broke five Alphas’ arms. Swallow the sun if I'm lying.” Nine was surprised when she unexpectedly broke out into a boisterous laugh that included loud snorts and smacking the table with her palm. 

Intimated by her rowdy but good-natured character, Nine forces out a few chuckles to be accommodating. “You’re right. Instead of looking for love here, maybe someone strong like sister from Bima would be better.”

She loudly chatters on, “Not good, not good. This little brother, are you being clever here? You know that our people do not suit each other nicely. Our Alphas are too strong-minded and our Omegas even more so. Together we match like fire and ice. A couple like that can only be compatible if they don’t kill each other first. I don’t like to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong but......... tell sister how you messed up? I might not look it but I am a great advice-giver. Go on, confide in me.”

The Alpha chef was still keenly watching them to make sure his wife didn’t go out of line or scare yet another customer away. Noticing Nine’s apparent discomfort, the Alpha’s deep voice booms from the kitchen. “Hey! How long are you going to sit? Think this place runs itself on magic?! Won’t work? Then come here so I can chop off your legs since you don’t need them!”

His wife nonchalantly snubs his chastisement. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Sister won’t pry too much.” With her husband's noisy shouts to get back to work, the Omega calls over one of her sons waiting on tables. The boy looked to be in his early teens. “Bring mama a bowl of the fresh ones that were made this morning.”

Nine perks up with intrigue. A minute later, a bowl of steaming sweets is set in front of him. Most Sarians had a sweet tooth but Nine wasn’t really a fan of sugary treats. He tries to politely decline but the Omega forces the plate onto him. “Eat, eat. As my annoying husband always tells me, eat more sweets so you’ll be sweeter.” Although she stood up to leave, her intense lingering stare bore into Nine’s soul as if she could somehow sense Nine was politely going to accept the sweets only to leave them untouched the whole night.

To save face, Nine unenthusiastically pops a sugarly round golden sweetmeat into his mouth. A second later, the Omega’s happy boisterous laugh booms through the entire eatery. Unexpectedly, she gives Nine several hard ‘friendly’ pats on his back. Because she had such monstrous strength, each pat was so strong that as soon as the first pat hit Nine’s back, the round sweetmeat he had popped into his mouth popped right back out, causing her to laugh harder while Nine suffered a coughing fit. The whole thing somehow reminded him of Seven.

After finally escaping the grasp of the overly familiar Omega, Nine slithers out for a smoke break to resettle his nerves. Standing against the back wall of the restaurant with one leg against the wall, Nine tosses the dwindled stub of the sizzling cigarette to the ground, stomping it out underfoot before going back inside the eatery.

\--

Lee clenches the cigarette between his lips and ignites it with a match. The teen Alpha was savoring a few hours of freedom and solitude squatting behind the wall of an incomplete house on an abandoned lot. 

Solis was unforgiving to the poor and nonconforming and Lee was both of those things. That did not bode well for him. His days usually consisted of fending off enemies or sneaking away to the next town over to scrounge for menial jobs to earn whatever measly money he could get his hands on. More often than not at the cost of his dignity. But for today, he was just enjoying the blissful weather and the tranquil baby blue sky.

Hachi, on the other hand, was causing yet another commotion today. Not because he was at the center of a fight or swearing up a storm or running around barefoot. But because he wasn’t doing any of those trademark things he was known for. The impossible had happened today: Hachi was actually behaving and no one could believe it!

Or at least that’s what Hachi wanted them to think. As soon as Sansu brought his brother home after that big fight a few days ago, he had doubled down on restricting Hachi. The whole way home Hachi kept up his dramatic performance complete with sniffling and sobbing. The Omega was such a talented actor that he could summon tears at the drop of a hat. No matter how angry Sansu was, he didn’t have the heart to chastise his baby brother ‘crying’ in his arms.

However, that same compassion was nowhere to be seen once they reached their family’s extravagant mansion. Sansu kicks the elegant double doors open and unceremoniously tosses Hachi to the ground with a dull thud. 

Frightened by the loud bang, the house servants and their parents rush over to the scene panicked. Hachi was carrying on his pitiful act to escape Sansu’s wrath. Regardless, Sansu still scolded the Omega sniveling on the floor. “Wipe your tears! Get up, I’m not done with you. What needs to be said must be said.” Hachi was such a convincing actor that the harsher Sansu yelled at him, the more pity he elicited from the servants and their parents watching.

Sansu strongly tugs his brother up by the arm. “Why don’t you ever listen to me? What will it take for you to finally behave?” 

Their Alpha mother steps between them, forcefully separating them. Her sleek long black hair and dark red lipstick made the confident beauty stand out. “Sansu, stop it. Can’t you see his condition? He’s already so beat up and you still want to add to it.” 

From the side, their Beta mother, a regal refined woman who adored all things pretty, bashfully says, “He’s just a child. No need to be so harsh and controlling.”

Sansu whips around at her. His anger had reached its peak. No matter how hard his parents or anyone else for that matter tried to discipline Hachi, nothing seemed to work. The boy was already too out of control for an Omega and he stubbornly refused to wear a collar. Sansu feared that one day his brother would go into heat in a public place full of Alphas and something terrible would happen to him. “How long are we just going to say ‘he’s just a kid’ whenever he acts like this! Are you going to say the same thing when he gets raped?!”

There was a 12 year age difference between Hachi and Sansu. As the oldest son it was his solemn responsibility to look out for the family. At 25, the Beta should have already taken a mate arranged for him by the main branch family. He should already have had one or two kids by now. Been the head of his own household. Independently managing the family’s cloth trade business. Upholding his family’s legacy. But because dealing with Hachi consumed all his time and energy, he couldn’t fulfill his expectations.

The squeaking sound of wheels grinding on the marble floor turn everyone’s attention to the patriarch. Hachi’s grandpa coolly strolls in on his wheelchair. Sansu’s frown deepens. It was due to their grandpa who constantly spoiled and encouraged Hachi to not care about others’ opinions that Hachi acted shamelessly. The old Omega had an obvious soft spot for Hachi who was his favorite grandchild. “So what if the boy lives the way he wants to? He’s only 13.”

Their mothers already looked uninterested with the whole situation. This same argument replayed each time Hachi caused trouble, which was very often. Sansu shouts “What about our family’s reputation? If he keeps on the way he’s been doing, we’ll lose face in front of the whole city!”

Hachi was getting tired of acting. On top of that, Sansu’s annoying yelling was giving him a headache. The 13 year old Omega dramatically picks himself off the floor and jumps into the lap of his grandpa. Out of the people present, only his grandpa knew him best. Therefore, he knew how great of an actor Hachi was when he felt like escaping Sansu’s scoldings or beatings. Not even his own parents or brother knew that he was faking. His grandpa lovingly strokes his dirty, tangled hair. "There, there. Don't mind him. You can't blame a dog for barking and you can't blame Sansu for yelling."

Sansu explodes at the elderly Omega’s blatant favoritism. “It’s because of you! You’ve spoiled him.” The seething Beta turns to Hachi, “I’ve had enough of seeing your damn face. I’m not as patient as a saint. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll disappear from my sight right this minute before I get the switch.” 

That was all the Omega needed to sprint to his room. Sansu threateningly roars at the servants once Hachi runs off, “If I see one person letting him out, prepare to face me!” Confining him to the house for who knows how long was a common tactic of Sansu’s so Hachi was not fazed. 

That was several days ago. Since then Hachi was preoccupied with convincing Sansu that he was on his best behavior so that he could leave. He was worried about how Lee was faring. On the outside, Lee might’ve seemed like a loveless lone wolf but Hachi easily saw through that facade. Deep down, Lee was actually sentimental and prone to loneliness. Hachi didn’t want to leave his love feeling lonely. Even though Lee acted like he hated Hachi and all Omegas the same, Hachi knew it was just an act. Just the thought of Lee feeling alone and unwanted left an unpleasant lump in his throat.

A knock comes at the door. Hachi recognized the soft knocks as Talise’s, the head housemaid. Maids bringing his meals to his room was standard protocol whenever Hachi was confined to his room. Sansu wouldn’t even let him roam the house. Hachi dips his hand into his secret stash of food under his bed and pulls out a thick juicy roasted mutton leg, thinking to himself “It’s showtime.” He munches on the mutton leg while loudly crying and sniffling so that Talise could obviously hear.

Just as Hachi predicted, the subservient Omega maid reports back to Sansu. Her expression sad and pitying. Sansu had portraits of highborn Omegas the main branch family had personally selected for him to choose from crowding his entire office. All the Omegas were the best of the best from all five kingdoms, possessing class, beauty, wit, wealth, and prestige. The Beta was earnestly mulling over each portrait when Talise knocked on his door.

The golden tan Omega gives a respectful curtsy as soon as she enters. She begins nervously, “Young Master Sansu, your brother… Young Master Hachi refuses to eat anything.”

Hachi voraciously tears a large chunk of meat off the mutton leg.

Talise implores, “Everytime we go to bring him his meals, he will not allow anyone in. He refuses to see anyone. We also hear his cries through the door. If I may be so bold, I believe that he has reflected enough. After all, he is only a young boy. I’m sure that mischief finds him before he can find them. Isn’t this enough? Please, if this continues, I fear he will become detached and may even grow to resent you.”

Hachi pats his bloated belly and picks at his teeth with a toothpick, his hunger totally satisfied after wolfing down his food stash. Now that his stomach was full he needed to find a way out. He was so full he could barely walk. The Omega wobbles to his closet and fishes out random objects one after the other. Luxurious silk robes that had collected dust, fancy leather shoes he hadn’t seen since forever, all the cute things that nice proper Omegas like Mao would like. It made Hachi want to vomit everything back up.

After minutes of fishing through his old things, Hachi finally finds what he was looking for. Old linen sheets that could be tied together to form a rope that could support the weight of a 13 year old sneaking out through the balcony. Sansu was solemnly strolling up the stairs with his hand behind his back. He agreed that by now, his brother had learned his lesson just as Talise had said.

He had honed a special talent for sensing Sansu’s approaching footsteps from all his years as a troublemaker. But a little too late. Hachi was in the middle of tying together his makeshift linens rope when the sound of his brother’s footsteps right outside his door came to his attention. If Sansu saw what he was doing, the Beta would’ve probably used the linens rope to fashion it into a noose for Hachi. Agile and quick as a cat, Hachi sprints across his spacious room and dives under his blankets just as Sansu opens the door.

Under the Hachi-shaped mound, there came miserable sniffles and stifled sobs. Sansu gently calls to his brother. “Hachi, come out. Brother needs to talk to you.” Hachi continues putting on his production. Sansu was impatient by nature and although he was tough on his brother, he loved him to death so he hated hearing or seeing him cry. Concern often manifested as anger for the Beta. That much was obvious as he shouted “I said, get out of there” then ripped the covers off to reveal a teary-eyed Hachi.

Sansu felt guilty just as Hachi intended. Hachi sniffles pathetically as Sansu helps him to his feet. Standing before his older brother, Hachi felt like a child getting scolded. “I heard about what happened with your schoolmaster. Care to explain?”

Hachi curses in his mind. “But brother! It’s not my fault. He said a lot of nasty things to me.” Sansu looked dubious as his brother believably pleaded his case. “If someone says I deserve to be raped to death, then of course any normal person with pride would retaliate. I didn’t start it. I really was just sitting there quietly. You can even ask Mao.”

The Beta heaves a heavy sigh. He wasn’t in the mood to go further. Though he knew that there was some element of truth to Hachi’s words. Unless provoked, Hachi was harmless. Sansu pinches the Omega’s tear stained cheeks, “And why were you fighting with those Alphas? Mao said you were the one who attacked them first.”

Thoughts of Lee sprang to mind. Before he could control himself, Hachi blurts out “Because I couldn’t let them hurt Lee!” He immediately clamps his hands over his mouth before any more words could spill out. Although Hachi persistently pursuing the Alpha was a popular gossip topic that was on everyone’s tongues every now and then, it seemed the rumors hadn’t reached Sansu’s ears yet thus he didn’t want to fully expose his feelings for Lee in front of Sansu. 

Knowing his older brother, he knew Sansu wouldn’t take too lightly to his infatuation with the low-class Alpha. His brother was judgemental and looked down upon the lower class commoners with haughty disdain. 

Sansu dispassionately puts his hand on his chin, trying to recall where he heard Lee’s name before. “Lee? Oh, him. You don’t mean that same infamous Leander, do you? Don’t tell me that violent fatherless son of a bitch is dragging you into his problems! Haven’t I always told you to stay away from those kinds of filthy riffraff?! Those people have no morals. You’re an Omega, Hachi. What if he takes advantage of you?!”

Hachi knew he had to quickly fabricate a ruse to divert Sansu’s attention from Lee. The Omega desperately launches himself into his brother’s arms, tightly squeezing his arms around Sansu’s torso. “I don’t want to be like this anymore, brother. I want to be good. I don’t want to make brother worry anymore. I was only acting out to get back at brother since you were being too controlling but I’m tired of making everyone unhappy. I really want to change. I promise.”

When Hachi pulls away to glance up at his brother’s face with teary puppy eyes to seal the deal, the Beta’s jaw was agape in surprised astonishment and disbelief. “You’re not just saying that, are you?” He knew just how to have Sansu wrapped around his finger.

Hachi nods while secretly crossing his fingers behind Sansu’s back. As long as he showed a few sad tears, Sansu was easy to manipulate. “I want to wear nice clothes like Mao and smell nice and make brother proud. If I do that, will brother love me again?”

Sansu pulls his brother into a tighter hug. “How can I ever… I’ve never hated you. You’re my precious little brother. You know that I’m always worried something unpleasant will happen to you. I only yell at you and lose my temper because I love and care about you. If I didn’t, wouldn’t I have said ‘to hell with this fool’ years ago? Hachi, listen to Brother. You have to place the family first. The way you’re acting, no Alpha will ever want you. Without uniting with a high class family, wouldn’t our family’s legacy just fade out?”

In the face of Sansu’s earnest sincerity, emotions of guilt over his deception and dishonesty twinged in Hachi’s chest. The Omega crosses the fingers on his other hand. Sansu sincerely smiles at his brother. “You know, brother was thinking about taking a mate so that our family’s position can be secured. But before I do that, I need you to be okay. I need you to be taken care of. I need to know my little brother is safe and happy. I won’t be able to leave without having that peace of mind.” 

Sansu lovingly kisses Hachi’s forehead. “No more fights, no more barefoot, no more shameless behavior, and absolutely no more playing in the forest, okay? Let’s just chalk it all up to youthful indiscretion and forget it all ever happened.”

Faced against Sansu’s expectant shining eyes, Hachi had no choice but to nod and promise. Choked by the guilt, Hachi crosses his toes. He hugs his big brother back, apologizing a million times in his heart because he knew that before the day was over he was going to disappoint him again as always. Refusing to conform was part of his identity. Rebellion was in his blood. Just like loving Lee was in his blood too. 

After a few minutes of squeezing his baby brother, Sansu calls for the house maids. Talise was the first to come in and was instantly greeted by Sansu’s beaming expression. How could he not be beaming when Hachi said he wanted to be back on the right path and it seemed like this time he really meant it. The Beta excitedly orders the servants around. The room bristles with energetic chaos. Servants busily ran to and fro preparing the materials Sansu requested.

Within minutes, a glistening pure white porcelain bathtub was brought up to the room and filled to the brim with heated water perfumed by fragrant crimson red rose petals. Other servants rushed in mountains of luxurious accessories, perfumes, shoes, ornate clothes stitched with gold that showed off their family’s wealth. Sansu hums and nods in approval at each item.

Hachi felt nauseous looking at all these extravagant things. All of them were too tacky for his taste. Talise maternally calls from beside the bathtub, “Young Master Hachi, please. Your bath has been prepared.” He himself didn’t know when he last bathed in clean water instead of in the clear marsh waters. 

Oblivious to Hachi’s embarrassed glares, Sansu continues innocently smiling at his brother shyly standing by the bathtub. “What’s wrong?” he asks obliviously.

In the past when he was younger it might’ve been normal for Sansu to see him naked but now that he was no longer a child, he only wanted one person to see and touch his body. Hachi bluntly asks, ”Could you get out?”

Sansu chuckles, “Remember how you used to beg to bathe together with me? You were so cute.” A rare bashful blush paints the brash Omega’s face. Sansu happily continues teasing the teen, “Brother’s already seen you naked so don’t mind my presence, okay?”

The Omega explodes with embarrassment and rage, hurling an ornate vase from the table near him right at his brother. Sansu sprints out the room laughing at the top of his lungs. Following close on his heels, the vase smashes against the door just milliseconds after he slams the door closed.

Talise finally manages to strip Hachi’s filthy clothes off. Hachi had no problem living in the same dirty clothes for months. Although his family was one of the wealthiest and most prominent of all the families in Sol Mahir, just by looking at Hachi’s appearance and behavior no one would be able to tell. 

Unsurprisingly, Hachi was so dirty that as soon as he dips his toes into the pristine rose scented bath water, the water turns murky. Talise wipes at the nervous sweat dripping from her forehead. This was going to be difficult. There was no way she could clean Hachi without putting in some elbow grease and so she mentally prepares herself for battle. She rolls up her sleeve and grabs her washing cloth.

After Hachi’s royal bath, Talise dresses him in gorgeous fine blue silk robes embroidered with intricate gold thread designs that the Omega was captivated by. Talise picks a steel comb off a gold platter while Hachi twirls in front of the full body mirror. For once, he didn’t hate the fancy clothes. It took a long while of cajoling to tear the enraptured Omega away from his reflection and sit on the high stool.

It had been so many years since a comb went anywhere near Hachi’s sandy blonde hair that Talise was both unsurprised and perplexed when the steel comb breaks in half the minute it makes contact with the wild tangled clumps. More nervous sweat drips down her face. Talise determinedly grabs another comb off the platter. With some elbow grease, Talise manages to brush out dead leaves, twigs, and branches stuck inside the Omega’s hair before her second comb also snaps in two.

Once again Talise determinedly rolls her sleeves. She calls over a young boy servant standing by the door. Clueless of all the problems his rat nest was causing, Hachi slinks back to twirl and giggle in front of the mirror. Talise whispers to the boy servant, “Go find the stable boy. Tell him to bring his pitchfork here. If solid steel combs won’t do the job, this is truly our last resort.” And so it was only with a pitchfork that Talise managed to brush Hachi’s hair.

Sansu sneaks back in an hour later. The complete transformation had his jaw dropping to the floor. Hachi was dressed beautifully, perfumed, and was adorned by gold and diamond accessories. The most shocking part: he was wearing shoes. When he first saw him, Sansu really wanted to look around and ask the servants where his real brother was.

Hachi looks at his brother with puppy eyes. “Brother, can I go out to play with Mao?” Sansu was against the idea. If Hachi went outside he would get provoked into starting something. “Please, Brother. I feel like a prisoner locked at home. Just for a few hours?”

The Beta was powerless against the pouting lips and puppy eyes. “Fine. But you have to return before sunset. And you have to take attendants with you.” Hachi nods to both conditions.

He couldn’t trust his brother to keep himself out of trouble so Hachi waits patiently while Sansu assigns guards and handmaids to accompany him. Sansu watches Hachi’s leaving figure with swelling pride. Maybe from now on Hachi really was maturing.

The jaws of everyone walking the streets who came across Hachi dropped. They had to squint, gawk, and stare to figure out that it was Hachi for sure. The Omega leisurely strolls the streets prim and proper as an entourage of servants trail behind him holding a powder blue sun umbrella over his head to guard their master against the blazing early afternoon sun. Deciding that he was far enough away from Sansu once they reached the bustling heart of the city, now that he was free, he didn’t need to pretend anymore.

Hachi sharply whips to the entourage. “Go back! I don’t need you to follow me.”

The servants exchange baffled expressions. “Young Master, how can we possibly leave you all alone? Your brother has strictly ordered us to accompany you.”

Hachi irritably clicks his tongue, “A mere servant dares to talk back to me?! I don’t care what my brother ordered you to do. I’m ordering you to not follow me. Now will you listen or won’t you?!” The servants timidly cower. The feisty Omega could be intimidating when he wielded his authority. “Now get lost. I won’t be gone long.”

The entourage cowardly turn heel, steeling themselves to weather Sansu’s anger. Suddenly Hachi calls them back, “Wait, don’t go back.” Their moods suddenly brighten thinking that maybe he changed his mind. However, their expectations were immediately betrayed. Hachi calmly points to a crowded seedy tavern in the distance, “My brother’s going to ask why I sent you back. Go wait in there until I come back for you. If any of you dare to speak of this, you can prepare to answer to me personally!”

The servants vigorously nod their heads while their knees tremble. Hachi didn’t have to see them to know his threat was effective. Without caring to hear their response, the teen was already sprinting off as free as the wind. How many days had it been since he could taste the wind? 

Suddenly, Hachi bumps right into someone. The other person utters a yelp as they collide into each other. Seeing who he bumped into, guilt starts creeping up on Hachi as Mao’s surprise turns to elation. Since they were children, whenever he felt like it, he had always used Mao’s name as an excuse to get his way. As long as he mentioned he was with Mao, Sansu gave him some space to breathe because the Beta was secretly hoping that Mao’s good personality and proper behavior would someday rub off on Hachi.

Now the innocent Omega was standing right in front of him regarding his regal attire with a bemused expression. It had been so long since anyone had seen Hachi kicking up a storm in the capital that everyone was sure Sansu had run out of patience for him and had sent him away to live with their relatives in Sarak’s strict society.

An awe-struck Mao appraises Hachi. “I can’t believe it really is you, Hachi. You look so… not dirty?”

Hachi arrogantly smirks. “Looks nice, huh.” He was momentarily caught up in showing off but then a realization jumps to mind. “Mao! It’s good that I ran into you. I was actually just coming to find you.” That was a half truth, but now that Mao, the personification of a perfect Omega was here, Hachi figured it wouldn’t hurt to pick up tips to help him impress Lee.

Mao timidly fidgets with the handle of his bright yellow sun umbrella. “You’re not mad at me?” Hachi tilts his head in confusion. Mao almost wanted to slump from deep dejection. “That I called Sansu on you last time when you…” It hurt a lot more for Mao that Hachi didn’t even care to remember because it showed just how insignificant he was in Hachi’s mind.

On the flip side, Hachi never paid attention to the small details. Plus he’d never been one to hold grudges. Oblivious to the dark insecurities brewing within Mao, Hachi cackles as carefree as the cloudless blue sky above. “Who cares about that anymore. Anyways, Mao,” Hachi roughly grabs his shoulders, “Teach me how to be what Alphas like.”

In the past, Hachi was surprisingly much more reserved. Not nearly as audacious or outspoken as he is now. Though he was relatively well-behaved he still nonetheless stuck out like a sore thumb. While other Omegas squealed and showed off all the new pretty things their parents bought for them, Hachi would be proudly brandishing his new scars and wounds received from one of his many reckless adventures in the forest. 

While they played house and talked about crushes, Hachi busied himself with collecting leaping frogs, squirming worms, and squeaking rodents in his pockets. He derived more joy from traumatizing and chasing the other Omegas around with his gross finds than knitting cute things or learning how to be a sweet well-mannered Omega. Hachi paid no heed to looking proper or smelling proper. Although he would talk back every once in a while when provoked, he still tried his best to be respectful and filial.

However, all that flew right out the window when he went through his first heat two years ago. 

Over time his out of place behavior went from boyishly mischievous to unrestrained swearing fighting machine. No one can say they were totally surprised by the development though. Eventually he became a misfit excluded from Solis’ Omega circles. No wealthy nor poor Omega wanted to befriend him.

On the other side, when they were children it was Mao who was so popular that he always had an entourage of admirers circling him every day. Out of every Omega in Solis, none could compete with him. His parents always bought him the cutest clothes and shoes to show off, his knittings were always the cutest, his beauty did not overshadow his kindness and humbleness, everyone adored him for his virtue. 

It was cute and admirable when they were children but now that they were older the other Omegas found him to be a despicable overbearing goody two-shoes who acted so pure and innocent just to get Alphas’ attention. Just like that, his friends and followers fell away like flies. All but one: Hachi.

Contrarily, while Mao declined in likeability, Hachi rose. Although no Omega would dare to openly admit to envying Hachi for his bold defiance, they admired him and even respected him for having the courage they all lacked to live however he wanted. 

Because of Hachi’s notorious reputation that made it hard to openly befriend the rebel, if society’s ever judgemental eyes weren’t criticizing their every move, they would be running to Hachi’s side to praise and cheer him on.

Outwardly, Mao was easy-going but fiercely competitive underneath. He detested it to no end. That while Hachi, the antithesis of what Mahirian society demanded of an Omega was quietly celebrated, he who was the personification of a perfect Omega was shunned. While his Omega peers saw Mahirian society’s treatment of Omegas as oppressive, to Mao it was simply a way of life. This was how a proper Omega was expected to be. A proper Omega was supposed to know their place in society.

Mao chuckles jovially, an unexpected miracle was at long last unraveling before his very eyes today. Hachi was asking him to teach him his place. Mao was more than happy to oblige. Eyes gleaming with satisfaction, Mao locks their fingers together as they used to do when they were kids and pulls Hachi along. “Leave it to my humble self!”

Side by side, they made a pretty picture. If one didn’t know any better, they would be convinced that Hachi’s misbehavior was a bad dream that never happened. Strolling along hand-in-hand, the first etiquette lesson Mao wanted to teach was conversation. 

As expected, Hachi had no sense of delicacy as he loudly gabbed on. The loud Omega uses his free hand to show Mao the empty spot where he had lost a back molar. “See? Right here. Whenever I expect to get punched, I always clench my teeth really hard. That way my face can withstand the blow. But last time I wasn’t paying attention so my tooth got knocked out.”

Hachi pokes his tongue in and out the empty spot, causing his friend to feel disgusted. He cheerily continues, “No one’s gonna notice but it still sucks. Hey, can we go by that street again? Maybe we can find my tooth.”

Mao knew he would regret asking but he asks anyway. “What are you going to do once you find your tooth?”

Without missing a beat, Hachi replies “Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to pop it right back in my mouth!” Mao would not be surprised in the least if Hachi really did pick his tooth off the filthy ground and shove it back in its spot without a care in the world.

Dizzy from the nausea, Mao changes the topic before his lunch found its way out. “Hachi, you’re an Omega. Alphas don’t like Omegas who talk about these kinds of crass and gross things.” Hachi takes mental notes. “Say nice and sweet things. Like this. Today, I’m seeing you dressed in such nice clothes for the first time in a long time. You look lovely, Hachi.”

Faced with Mao’s genuine sweet smile, “I just let Talise pick out whatever,” Hachi shyly blurts out. Mao was overcome with acute nostalgia for their happy childhood days. They were laughing, smiling, and talking just like the good old days. Hachi was miraculously agreeable and obedient today even if it was just temporarily for an ulterior motive. 

They were best friends. It was on harmonious days like these when he did not feel belittled by Hachi audaciousness that Mao wanted to believe no one could come between their unbreakable bond. While floating in his thoughts, Hachi softly mutters, “Do you think Lee will like this appearance too? I’m determined to turn his gaze my way today so I really went all out!”

No one could come between them. No one except Lee.

Hachi was usually thick-faced and unreserved. It was only when he was talking about Lee that his demeanor softened and he showed vulnerable expressions he rarely showed. He was so obviously love-struck and Mao absolutely hated seeing that side of Hachi. It disgusted him.

A black cloud settles over Mao. The wholesome mood evaporates. In his mind, he couldn’t even fathom Hachi’s attraction to Lee. He could list hundreds of negatives about the Alpha in one breath - Lee was poor, uneducated, violent, uncouth- but not a single positive. Resentful thoughts like “Why is he so obsessed with that peasant?” flash through his mind. 

Ever since Hachi’s infatuation with Lee became serious Mao couldn’t shake off a dreadful niggling at the back of his mind. With how head over heels his best friend was, Mao feared that one inevitable day Hachi would unquestionably choose Lee over him and he would be pitifully abandoned. It was only a matter of time.

Lingering pessimism threatened to swallow Mao whole. Mao pulls his hand away from Hachi’s and anxiously grips his own arm. Hachi worriedly eyes his friend. “Mao? Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

From around the corner at the far end of the long wide street comes a disruptively loud group of jeering boys heading their way. The Alphas all donned the dapper raven black uniforms complete with shining gold buttons and black cap required for students of Solis’s national Alpha-only private academy. To be admitted, one had to either be really intelligent or hail from an extremely wealthy family. Only true blue blood noble Alphas were accepted.

The horse-playing boys were playing a foolish game of seeing who could kick their caps the furthest. They aimlessly chased and kicked their caps all around the street as if they were little kids playing with soccer balls. Among the three Alphas, Mao’s gaze was instantly drawn to Rei Lin, the Alpha who had both intelligence and nobility. Just like that Mao’s bad mood dissipated into thin air but his breath catches in his chest when his love-struck gaze unexpectedly meets Rei’s.

Like the proper Omega he was raised to be, Mao modestly lowers his head and pulls Hachi along to the side of the street to free up the street so that the Alphas can noisily run by them. As Rei passes by him quietly unlike his loudmouth friends, Mao uses his umbrella to hide his blushing face. 

The meek Omega knew he was self-conscious of Rei’s presence. Even as kids, he’d always had a huge crush on him. Mao racked his brains trying to figure out if Rei’s feelings were brotherly or romantic. After all, their parents were lifelong friends so as children they had often played together and developed a deep relationship. 

Now that their secondary genders had revealed, the sprouting affectionate sentiment had fully blossomed into love. However, from the way that they both blushed or shyly avoided eye contact when they saw each other, it was obvious to anyone with eyes that Mao and Rei felt the same way. 

But as in Sarak, Omegas in Sol Mahir were raised to be passive and wait to be courted by the Alpha. Although they were both madly in love with each other, because Rei never built up the courage to boldly pursue him, their relationship never progressed beyond childhood friends. Anyone watching the bumbling love-struck fools from the sidelines would be so frustrated they’d pass out from anger.

Some distance away, Rei stops playing the stupid game and wistfully stares at Mao’s leaving back. Fueled by desperation, Rei grabs his dirtied cap and launches it straight toward the Omegas’ direction. Then wrestles his friends’ caps right out of their hands and also chucks their dirty black caps Mao’s way like released arrows. 

In his peripheral vision, Mao is nervously caught off guard by flashes of black sailing beside and in front of him. By his side, Hachi irritably clicks his tongue as Rei’s hastily approaching footsteps draw closer. As a master of theatrics and trickery, Hachi knew a stunt when he saw one. If this wasn’t a cowardly ploy to get Mao’s attention, then Hachi didn’t know what else it was. 

Since Hachi and Mao grew up together, it was a given that Hachi and Rei had grown up together as well. But just because they had Mao in common did not mean they could stand each other. They hated each other and made no effort to hide it. Hachi had always disliked him because he saw Rei as too spineless for an Alpha.

Whenever Hachi compared him to Lee who was like a natural born predator among Alphas, the cowardly Rei paled in comparison. “If he were a true Alpha like Lee, he wouldn’t have held back with Mao,” Hachi mumbles.

Mao shyly glances back at the Alpha angrily chastising his friends, catching things like “You idiots! Why would you do that? Show some respect!“ Hachi really couldn’t resist the urge to roll his eyes at Rei’s terrible acting. He’d seen diarrhea with better acting chops.

If it weren't for fear of his eyeballs rolling out of their sockets, Hachi would’ve given the teen Alphas lumbering over to them another intense eye roll. His annoyance spiked the closer Rei and his followers got. Hachi never had to go far to find trouble. Trouble always found him first. But just for today, he was miraculously resolved to keep himself in check.

Hachi’s abrasive confrontational personality had turned countless Alphas and Betas against him and even some Omegas. Considering how short-tempered he was, it was a miracle he was maintaining a dignified silence in the face of three Alpha enemies. He needed to keep his clothes as clean as possible. Rei walks right past Hachi as if he was invisible and crouches down to pick up his cap that landed right in front of Mao’s feet, the Omega reacting with a startled flinch at Rei's proximity.

From Hachi’s angle on the side, he could see Rei sneakily touch Mao’s feet while he grabbed his cap. All the while Mao wanted to stop staring at his ideal Alpha but he was failing miserably. As Rei slowly stood up, his light gray eyes were intensely locked on Mao’s gentle green eyes the entire time. Without breaking their heated gaze, Rei slightly dips his head in a reverent bow to the blushing Omega. “I hope you can forgive these idiots’ rudeness,” the dignified Alpha says.

Unable to tolerate Rei’s pretension any longer, Hachi stifles a disdainful snicker. “Puffed up with conceit, just like the pompous poser you’ve always been,” he scoffed.

Somewhere in Mao’s heart, hearing Hachi insult Rei, some part of him had the urge to blurt out “what do you know about good taste when you’ve been chasing after a violent no-good deadbeat for a whole year?”

Since Hachi was for once being quiet, the Alphas had no interest in teasing or bothering him. Though that was entirely because they did not realize that the quiet cleaned up Omega beside Mao was Hachi himself. Now that Hachi had called the Alphas’ attention to himself, tension filled the air. 

They cast an eye over to the feisty teen, squinting at him in dubious disbelief. The voice was clearly Hachi’s but everything else didn’t add up. Unlike his confounded friends who had never seen Hachi’s proper appearance, Rei was no stranger to it. Almost everybody had long forgotten there was once a time when Hachi wasn't always barefoot or filthy but he could tell it was Hachi at a glance due to their long undesirable acquaintance. 

Rei ridicules, “Who’s the poser here when you’re dressed like that? Do you really think anyone’s going to believe you’ve changed your act just because you finally take your first bath in five years and put on shoes?”

Hachi snorts with laughter, “Strutting around like all of Sol Mahir falls at your feet. Acting so brave as if you actually have the balls. Aren’t you just showing off for Mao, Little Prince? I can’t tell if I should laugh or cry for such a sorry excuse for an Alpha. Compared to Lee, you’re even lower than horseshit. My eyes hurt just looking at you.”

Mao nervously fidgets beside Hachi, feeling thoroughly apologetic for Rei. He didn’t want to hear his beloved Rei being verbally abused. Because he never spoke up, everyone probably thought he was a pushover. This was his moment to prove them all wrong. Something in him was telling him to speak up and defend Rei’s honor. He needed to tell Hachi off. Show that he had a backbone. Stand his ground against Hachi. For once and for all. 

The clock on the giant tower in the central square ticked on, counting the seconds. Yet, nothing more than uncomfortable stares and fidgets came from Mao.

“I guess when you don’t realize how foolish you look, acting however you want is nothing. From the way you go around singing Leander’s praises, one would think you’ve already laid down for him. It’s not like you have any dignity or shame to speak of anyway,“ Rei sniggers. 

Frustrated with himself for not being able to stand up for Rei, Mao clutches his arm anxiously. The more Mao failed to build up his courage, the more his heart slowly blackened with disappointment and resentment. Sensing Mao’s discomfort, Rei misinterprets it as Mao was made uncomfortable by his crude retorts to Hachi. Most Omegas did not like to hear about sex so openly. Rei holds himself back for Mao. Hachi only humphs, refusing to give Rei any more of his undeserved attention.

The two other Alphas flanking Rei finally shake off their disbelieving astonishment. One was portly and the other was short with protruding buck teeth. The portly one inspects Hachi head to toe in amazement, “This is Hachi? You’re even wearing shoes. Are you even Hachi? No way.”

The short one gawks as well, “Seriously, no way.” It was hard for them to believe that Hachi of all people could look this refined. “Looks like Sansu really did fix him this time. No one’s seen you in so long we were starting to think he had forsaken you to a Jien breeding center,” he cackles. His beady leering eyes perversely sweep over the silent Omega in praise until a crisp snap breaks his trance.

With his hand on his hip, Hachi acknowledges their presence with a condescending sneer. “Hey, think this is a brothel, asshole? Wanna stare? Then pay up.” Hachi closes his umbrella and keeps it at his side as a weapon just in case. 

Resolved to mock Hachi as payback for all the times they’d lost against him, Rei’s friends flank Hachi from both sides with smug grins. Meanwhile Rei takes Mao’s small delicate hand and leads him away so they could be alone. Rei could care less what happened to Hachi.

Today’s mission was to capture Lee’s heart. It was already starting to be late afternoon. Annoyed by the Alphas, Hachi tries to walk past them. 

Typically he was not one to run away from a fight but he didn’t want to get his fancy clothes dirty or torn before Lee saw him in them. Though he was keen to avoid confrontation, it seemed the Alphas thought otherwise. They stand in his way again. Hachi bounces off the rotund belly of the fat sneering Alpha. “Not so fast. Where do you think you’re going, kitty? That same Hachi who’s always calling everyone a coward or a sheep is trying to run off like a dog with its tail between its legs?”

Hachi was starting to seriously get pissed off. “Consider yourselves lucky. Today I don’t have time to waste on smallfry like you. Now be good little dogs and let your master pass.”

The Alphas block Hachi’s path with arms crossed. The short one squeaks out, “After all the times you fucked us over, don’t think we’ll let you so easily.” 

Though he couldn’t hear much from where he and Rei were standing, Mao could see confrontational tensions rise. Hachi had a real talent for provoking people. But Mao couldn’t focus on that. Rei was still clutching his hand. Maybe he’d forgotten to let go but Mao absolutely didn’t want to remind him. Suddenly Rei’s other hand holds his chin and turns his head back to face him. Sparks flared between them. Mao was internally debating with himself on whether he wanted to turn away or stare at Rei forever. 

Rei felt the same. There was apparent worry interlaced in his warning, “Staying around that worthless person is bad for you. What will people think of you if Hachi’s improper behavior rubs off you on? That person is coarse, immoral and has no bright future waiting for him. You’re different, Mao.” 

Mao knew that as Hachi’s friend, he had somewhat of an obligation to defend Hachi. But Mao didn’t even have the mental capacity to focus on Rei’s words. Rei’s fingers were intertwined with his and his other hand was still holding his chin and he couldn’t look away let alone even remember to breathe from how giddy he felt.

Ironically, as if he was trying to prove Rei right, Hachi loudly swears at the Alphas. “You useless fucking mongrels! Did your whore mothers drop you on your heads? I already said I don’t have time to waste on you bastards today. Now if you don’t get out of my way, see if I don’t get my brother to deal with you.”

As expected, the Alphas cackle mockingly loud. “Hmph! Who’s scared of your brother! What the hell can he do to us? Yell at us to death?” The Hachi who only ever relied on himself was shamelessly using Sansu as a shield today when he was usually the first to call everyone else cowards. Though the Alphas' ridicules didn’t bother Hachi one bit. 

It was already late afternoon and he needed to find Lee. Sansu was trusting him to stick to his curfew and the more he convinced Sansu he could be “good” the more freedom he’d have to flirt around with Lee. So if he needed to use Sansu’s name to scare away enemies then so be it.

Mao covers his embarrassed face with his umbrella. It was at moments like these when Hachi spoke crudely and acted disgracefully that he was ashamed to call himself his friend. Those moments seemed to increase by the day which meant Mao was starting to feel less inclined with each passing day to acknowledge their friendship. 

To make it worse, Rei was watching and surely associating Hachi’s boorishness with him. He wanted Rei to have a good impression of him. A pure, refined, virtuous image. Mao was too ashamed to further watch the spectacle Hachi was making but he could hear Hachi respond to the Alphas taunts with “Even if Sansu does yell a lot, I won’t stand for some low-class bastards talking badly about him. Think my brother’s a joke? Just you wait. He’ll beat you so badly that even your wretched ancestors will grovel for mercy in the other world.”

What was supposed to be just teens throwing harmless insults at each other escalated too far once the taunts about ancestors were brought in. To insult someone’s ancestors was going too far. Everyone acknowledged that. And if Hachi respected boundaries he might’ve held back his tongue but alas Hachi was born without a filter. As soon as the scorned Alphas bodies’ shift menacingly, Hachi stands his ground. Today wasn’t a day for fighting but if it inevitably came down to it, he was no coward or weakling.

Rei uninterestedly sets his sights back on Hachi with vile contempt, marvelling at how easily shameless filth fell out of his mouth without any regard for his image. The fact that an Omega could say those things to Alphas in broad daylight unconcerned about their retaliation was purely repulsive. Needless to say that even just hearing Hachi’s words gave Mao heartburn. Just imagining those words leaving his lips made Mao nauseous. 

The fat one blatantly threatens, “Want me to show you your mouth is good for something other than talking shit?” The Alpha meant every syllable of his threat. If this continued, fists would undoubtedly be getting thrown.

Hachi wasn’t backing down. Fearlessly standing tall and holding his head high, Hachi returns every ounce of the threat. “Just you try it. I’ll gouge your fucking eyes out,” he retorts while brandishing his sharp filed nails. Everyone knew Hachi wasn’t one for bluffs either which just made the whole standoff much more tense.

Mao was split down the middle. Half of him was so ashamed of Hachi that he wanted to disown the boorish Omega as a friend and the other half believed it was his obligation to bring him back to the right path as an Omega. Finally replying to Rei’s worries, Mao half-heartedly mutters, “Hachi’s my friend.” Though he was beginning to disbelieve that more with each passing second. 

Standing beside Hachi drew out his feelings of inferiority. At times Mao felt like he was only a convenient fool for Hachi. Unconvincingly, Mao mutters “If I want him to change, I have to lead by example for him. As his friend, I can’t just simply abandon him.”

Rei knew that Mao trying to change Hachi was probably just for his own convoluted self-satisfaction. But he loved Mao too much to heartlessly dissuade him of the impossible undertaking. The only way to seperate them was by turning them against each other. Rei had no problem resorting to whatever means possible if it meant his precious Mao could be free of Hachi’s depravity. In the end, this was for Mao’s own good.

Taking advantage of the ugly emotions whirling inside Mao, Rei points to Hachi. “Mao, you’re too nice. He’s only taking advantage of your kindness. Look at him, he hasn’t even looked this way even once to see if you’re okay. You’re the only one who thinks of him as a friend. On the contrary, the only person Hachi cares about is himself. And Leander.”

Hachi had had enough of the Alphas wasting his time and was shoving them hard into each other, bellowing, “Didn’t you hear me earlier?! I said I’m too busy today to play around with you shitheads!”

The Alphas collapse onto each other, opening up a clear free path for Hachi to sprint right through. The scuffed Alphas curse after a fleeing Hachi but Mao was too disoriented to hear what they were saying. Only that a few seconds later, Hachi turns back around to respond with a bold “Don’t worry, I’ll be glad to hand your asses to you tomorrow” as he flees.

The further away Hachi got, the more true Rei’s words rang. Mao feared that his deepest fear and insecurities were already starting to come to fruition. Just like now, Hachi had left him behind and chosen Lee over him. This probably wouldn’t be the last time either. Mao desperately calls after Hachi too, shouting “Hachi! Hachi!” at his escaping back but the speedy Omega was already out of sight. His efforts were desperate, futile, pathetic. This time too, Hachi had won in making a fool out of him.

Rei’s pointed comments stabbed through him. The entire day, as usual, Hachi had only been preoccupied with himself and Lee. Now that Mao was realizing, Hachi rarely cared to ask about his affairs or worries. Whenever they talked, he dominated the conversation with inane things about his adventures in the forests or his many fights or sweet talks about Lee Mao didn’t care for. Rei could see the obvious confoundment on Mao’s face.

The seeds of dissent were successfully sown.

Swooping in like a knight in shining armor, Rei snatches Mao’s bright yellow umbrella out of his hand. One hand holding the umbrella over the flushed cute Omega and the other hand still entwined with Mao’s. Rei leads him forward gently, “Let’s go. I’ll take you around today to have fun. Eat, laugh, talk all you want. I’ll listen to everything you want to say. We can go play at our secret spot.” Their secret spot was a secluded tranquil garden between their houses.

Mao’s sadness lasted only momentarily. If Lee was someone Hachi could abandon his friends and family for, then that person for Mao was Rei. Rei cared for him in a way no one else ever had. Rei noticed his every mood. It was entirely for Rei’s sake that he strived to be the perfect Omega. So that one day when he stood in his rightful place beside Rei as his mate, Rei would be proud to call him his beloved. 

No matter how many nights he had to stay up to study so that Rei wouldn’t think he was stupid. Or how he strictly avoided sweetmeats despite his sweet tooth so that he didn’t gain weight. The countless numbers of times he pricked his fingers with the sharp needle to perfect his sewing was nothing compared to Rei’s impressed praises. He’d always made sure he was dressed lavishly in public and comported himself with utmost respect and class. Even though his fellow Omegas found his attitude too arrogant and often talked about him behind his back, it was all worth it to be acknowledged by Rei.

Rei made him feel emotions no one else could ever make him feel and fulfilled his every desire. Except for one. No matter how much he wished to be Rei’s mate, he needed to patiently wait for his Alpha to claim him as his one day. Mao meekly nods, a radiant smile playing on his lips as he naturally follows after his Alpha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I've always been intrigued by parallel happenings, right? Like how Nine is putting out his cigarette while Lee is lighting his. 2 characters who may or may not come cross each other's path but directly impact each other's futures doing similar things at the same time. It's pretty interesting if you think of like that right? I've always loved things like that so maybe throughout the story you might catch some parallels. It's intentional.
> 
> I got to flesh out Mao's character in this one and introduce his love interest so let's consider it a success. I really wanted to do some Nine/Alais and introduce the central Jien characters but all good things must wait, right? Maybe next chapter!


	8. A Jien Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a real hot minute since I updated. Life and shit has been bogging me down but (*drum roll pls*) I bring you this update!! Your ten thousand year wait is over 😓 Next chapter is currently in the works and will be up in a few days.
> 
> P.S. I will try to update more frequently but I'm not gonna make any promises I can't keep.

Faint sunlight streams into the room through the partings of the fluttering white curtains. Akito groans groggily and unenthusiastically rolls onto his back, begrudging the morning sun for encroaching on his world of dreams. Outside the window, his senses are greeted by melodically chirping songbirds and the pleasant bristling green grass fields beyond the orphanage. Today, too, the world was beautiful.

Tasks, chores, responsibilities. All vie for space in his brain as he hazily shakes off the remaining threads of sleepiness. Although at times he felt tired he enjoyed being relied on by the children and Sister Maralissa. It gave him a sense of satisfaction and self-worth. 

Unlike the other children who could enjoy their childhoods to their heart’s content, he had to forgo childish joys to be the mature older brother, the caretaker, and a stand-in father figure when Director Jun was absent foraging for necessities, which was very often nowadays as harvests in Manzar were beginning to dwindle and food was growing scarce.

But Akito told himself that it was necessary for his small back to shoulder the full burdens of everyone at the orphanage. For the sake of his siblings’ happiness. His life had purpose. Making them happy and protecting them was his reason for living. And now that Hiran had become a member of their family, that desire to protect was steadily growing stronger by the day.

He wanted to quickly grow up. Become stronger. Become a reliable man that could support the orphanage after Director Jun’s death in the near future and also take care of Hiran. Akito’s eyes jolt wide open, noticing that lately in the mornings his thoughts veered towards Hiran. He was totally awake now. 

Realizing he still had a few more minutes to laze around in bed before needing to start on breakfast, Akito rolls back onto his side and closes his eyes to gratefully appreciate the peace and quiet. Once the busy day really started, he wouldn’t even have time to sit down until dinner time.

Soft and inviting, Hiran’s call pulls him back to the present. “Akito. Are you awake?” Within the recent days, Hiran was gradually becoming more comfortable in the orphanage. More often than not, he would join the family at mealtimes, his seat naturally right besides Akito’s. Before bed when they were alone in their room, he would give Akito a goodnight kiss. Their relationship had progressed to the point that they would sometimes sneak out of bed and climb up to the roof while the whole orphanage was asleep to gaze at the stars or talk about trivialities.

Sometimes, if the children managed to drag him out of his corner, Hiran would play with them. Though he would get so stiff and nervous that he would just dumbly stand in the middle of the green meadow fields while the children ran circles around him.

Little by little, Hiran was beginning to love the orphanage, love Manzar, and for the first time ever, love his misfortunate fate that he’d always cursed for bringing him to Akito. Though he couldn’t explain yet why that was.

From the silhouette through the thin curtain separating their bed in half, Akito could make out Hiran’s slender figure beckoning him over as the Jien redhead laid on his stomach. That they would chat for a bit before getting up had become somewhat the norm as of late. Akito was truly just thankful that the icy exterior Hiran wore when he first arrived was gradually melting. And dare he admit that he was actually enjoying Hiran’s casual affections.

Akito rolls over to Hiran’s side. The flimsy curtain border keeping them apart set up only a weak imaginary boundary that could be trespassed with the smallest effort. As he rolled to Hiran, a quick thought flashes through Akito’s mind: it would be nice if one day there was nothing keeping him apart from Hiran. 

So lost in his subconscious thoughts, Akito accidentally rolls over too close, almost finding himself on top of Hiran. Their lips so close that he could feel Hiran’s breath sending tingles down his spine. Akito quickly moves away with a forced awkward chuckle. Hiran also laughs along. Cramped together on Hiran’s side, Akito comfortably lays his head down on Hiran’s pillow, his senses immediately invaded by the Jien redhead’s sweet scent.

There was yet another painful twinge squeezing Akito’s heart. Their faces were only inches away from each other’s. Akito swallows hard. His palms were starting to get slightly clammy.

Oblivious to the slight fever building up within Akito, Hiran greets the Manzarian brunette with an energetic smile that Akito can’t help but return. “Good morning, Akito!” Hiran was getting cuter by the minute to Akito. The older boy really had to resist the urge to reach out and pat his head. “Akito, can we do that again? The same as last night.”

Akito scratches his cheek with his finger, confliction playing about in his expression. He was filled with reluctance. Hiran had gotten into the habit of giving him good night and good morning kisses. Naturally, Akito felt troubled indulging him. The more times they did it, the more uncontrollable his heartbeat became. Akito feared that maybe he was coming down with some sort of sickness and pondered whether he should notify Director Jun or Sister Maralissa. 

But Akito was slowly coming to find out that he was weak to Hiran’s requests. He closes his eyes as Hiran slowly moves in and softly presses his warm lips against Akito’s. His soft warmth felt for a second and gone the next. But that one second was dangerous enough on its own.

A morning kiss was foreign to Akito. Not something he was used to. Relieved having received his morning greeting, Hiran gleefully kicks his legs around like a teen girl. Akito joins him laying on his stomach. Ever since Hiran had started warming up to him, Akito was very curious about his birthplace. 

Having tagged along on many of Director Jun’s travels, the only place Akito had never been was Jiendai. But he had heard several stories from the Director about how it was a heartless kingdom with even more heartless warriors who valued strength above all else. The Hiran he was coming to know was anything but cold. Maybe at first, but not anymore. “Hiran?”

Hiran doesn’t respond but looks over curiously. Akito could see he had the redhead’s full attention. “What is it like in Jiendai? Are your people strong?” Director Jun had once told him they were warrior people. Even women, children, and Omegas were trained to be warriors from the time they were old enough to walk. In fact, their Omegas were supposedly a hundred times stronger than their Alphas. 

The Jien army was also unanimously the strongest army in all five kingdoms. The only time they suffered defeat was against Rafa the Great 300 years ago when they tried to invade Sarak which was only a small developing country with barely an army to speak of at the time led by Rafa, an Omega.

Hiran noticeably muses over the questions. Although he understood some Manzarian, it wasn’t his natural language. Akito could see he was struggling for words. After a minute, Hiran finally answers, “We are all strong. Everyone separate…. Um, no, no,” Hiran had to wrack his brains to remember the right words so Akito could understand, “distinguish themselves in battle. Um, stronger, more powerful warrior wins more glory for his family name. Warriors who are disgraced in battle are treated lower than dogs. All their um… generations too so that their weak blood can be…..” Hiran was stuck. “Erased? No, no. Eradicated forever? Weakness and cowardice is shameful in Jiendai. Cannot be tolerated. Must be wiped out. Akito, do you understand like this?”

Akito nods his head. He understood everything now. About Jiendai. About Hiran. He already knew the next part of Hiran’s story. “Hiran’s parents, they were cowardly deserters. They fled the army. Tortured to death and then beheaded.” That was all the explanation Hiran gave. “But I was too young. I can’t remember their faces at all.”

Never before in his short life had Akito wanted to cry for someone else before. Hiran’s pain felt like his own. Even though Hiran was very emotionless telling him about it, Akito knew that there was hidden pain behind those words. Akito’s wish to grow up faster amplified in him. He wanted to quickly become a man that could protect Hiran.

Hiran scoots closer, perhaps to comfort him. He could feel Akito getting uneasy. “Akito, this is your home? You were born here?”

Fidgeting nervously, Akito didn’t know how to answer such a straightforward question. “No. I don’t know where I was born or what my parents even looked like. For as long as I could remember I’ve been with Father Jun.”

Hiran’s smile faded as Akito told him about how after Jun’s mate died 30 years ago, he had used his measly fortune to roam from kingdom to kingdom helping poor children and along the way found Akito and built this orphanage. 

Intrigued, Hiran asks “Father Jun had a mate?”

Akito’s eyes fill with a bright twinkle. “Yep! Father Jun is Manzarian but his mate was actually Sarian. Every night when we were traveling, he would always tell me stories about how beautiful his mate was!”

Hearing Akito so full of zeal, Hiran breaks out in a contagious smile. “He said, Sarak has the most beautiful Omegas in the world. No other kingdom can compete! But they became a pair during a time when there was extreme hostility between Manzar and Sarak.” 

Akito was a very dramatic storyteller but the way he told Jun’s story with over-exaggerated animated movements just captivated Hiran that much more. “Both of their families were against them forming a pair. Ah- let me explain. Jun’s mate’s family were a very superstitious bunch like most Sarians. 

They believed they would be cursed with misfortune if they allowed such a union and especially with a Manzarian. Sarians really care about their “face” and what everyone will think of them. That’s why...”

Just as Hiran was about to ask how Jun’s mate died, Akito went on coldly, “Father Jun’s mate’s family poisoned him themselves soon after they became a pair to save their family’s reputation. And he was even with child too. Father Jun wasn't even allowed to see his body.”

The air went silent as the iciness of the words pervaded their hearts. Poisoned to death by your own family during the happiest time in your life. After a few moments of silence passed, sluggish footsteps found their way beside their bed.

Akito didn’t have to look to know it was Sarina. She shuffles her way onto the bed and comfortably curls up in Akito’s lap rubbing her eyes, “Big bro, when is food time? So hungry,” she whined.

Having too much fun talking with Hiran, Akito lost track of time. “You’re right. I should start on breakfast.” 

A second later, Tula groggily wanders in too. “Huh? I thought I smelled bacon,” she says probably half-asleep. She hops on Hiran’s back, much to the redhead’s discomfort. “Come on, Big bro. We ever gonna eat or what? I’m so hungry my stomach is singing whale mating calls.”

It didn’t take long for the other half-asleep rascals to stumble in to complain about breakfast. Hiran was visibly uncomfortable as the affectionate kids nestled in his arms but Akito was really glad that he wasn’t shying away from them.

Cracking his fingers, Akito hops out of bed. It was time to get the day started! Director Jun was also returning today with fresh food and supplies so they had to get the place spotless from top to bottom. As he made his way to the kitchen, a long line marched behind him like ants. As he and the children filed out, Akito’s eyes accidentally met Hiran’s. Both shyly avert at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was unsatisfactory. I know it was a little short but I hope you liked it.
> 
> Spoiler: Can I just say I had a little too much fun working on the next chapter?? 😌


	9. Fateful Reunion part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part in a few days.

Soft chatter filled the eatery. Nine curiously looks around his surroundings, his eyes landing on the owner and his wife at a corner table taking a short break together. The Alpha chef was sitting, very clearly exhausted and drenched in sweat from cooking all day, while his Omega wife was standing over him and wiping the sweat on his face with a fresh towel.

Despite how loud and boisterous she was earlier chatting up customers, now she was very attentive and loving. Though Nine could still hear her loud laugh as she smacked her husband’s back a few times while the Alpha glared at her. 

Every so often, Nine could sense someone’s eyes on him from behind. That someone was an Omega by the name of Lumi accompanied by his Beta sister. It was apparent from the way Lumi kept sneaking glances that he was quite smitten with Nine.

His sister flashes him a teasing smirk after catching him red-handed. With an exhausted sigh, “Lumi, why don’t you just invite yourself over to his table?”

Lumi chokes on his drink. He didn’t think he was being that obvious. “I’m tired of you looking so desperate. Who cares about waiting for the Alpha to make the first move? So outdated. Just go over there confidently.”

Lumi covers his blushing face with the hems of his purple robes. He had the typical Sarian grace and of course the beauty to go with it. He was also a worshiper of the god of fertility and according to his fortune, his love possibility was greatest tonight. 

Worshipers of the god of fertility, who were mostly Omegas, believed their purpose in life was to bear children for their Alphas. To that end, they were open to all encounters and performed many rituals to boost their love possibility so that they could meet their fated pairs soon. In short, they are naturally flirty.

Meanwhile, while Lumi’s sister tries to convince the Omega to take the initiative, across from their table an Alpha had his eye on Lumi. Unbeknownst to Nine he was caught in the middle of a love triangle. 

Eustace slams his mug of beer down on the table with rising frustration. He grumbles to his close friend, “What does he see in that wheat flour-faced shit?” Eustace was whipped the moment he laid eyes on Lumi. What could he say? The young gorgeous snow white beauty with hazel blue eyes was exactly his type. 

His friend tries to placate him, “Just give up already, man. You’re not even competition.”

Needless to say that his friend’s advice went in one ear and out the other. “I’m not admitting defeat like this without even trying.” Eustace springs to his feet. “I’m gonna go talk to him.”

His friend couldn’t reason with him. He could only send him off with loud amused jeers, attracting Nine’s attention to Eustace making his way over to Lumi’s table. Eustace was in his early 20’s and was donned in sleeveless black robes and had glistening muscles. 

Nine, like many of the other customers, was intrigued as they followed Eustace with their eyes. Even the owner and his wife paused to watch the spectacle play out.

So caught up in teasing Lumi, the two were totally unaware of Eustace’s presence. Until he loudly slammed his hand down on the table, causing them to jolt in surprise. All eyes were on him. 

But Lumi’s sister was super protective of him. Their family had some status so Lumi didn't have to entertain peasant types like Eustace. More specifically, she didn’t want low-quality Alphas like Eustace making moves on Lumi. She haughtily crosses her arms, her tone laced with stand-offishness. “Do you need something, dirty rat?”

Being as single-minded as he was, the sister’s hostility did not deter him in the slightest. Eustace takes a deep breath, telling himself it was now or never. Though his heart almost leapt out of his chest now that he was so close to Lumi. “Eustace, blacksmith by trade. Proud Alpha born and raised in Sayli,” he introduces himself.

Sayli was the furthest southern city from Bima’s royal capital Elios where Nine and his gang were from. It wasn’t the richest but they prided themselves on having hard-working and brave Alphas.

The sister, “And? So what?”

Eustace was staring so hard at Lumi his sister almost wanted to hide him behind her. The whole time Lumi was silently hearing him out. “You took my breath away. I’ve seen countless Sarian beauties but you put all of them to shame. If you’re free tomorrow, we can…”

The sister cuts in, “Can’t you take a hint? He’s not interested in filthy dirt broke bums like you. Now why don’t you scurry off.” 

A deep dissatisfied frown sets on the Alpha’s brows. “I’ll only leave if he tells me himself.” 

Lumi breaks his silence. “I’m sorry. I can't accept.” 

There were a number of ways rejections could go. Some Alphas couldn’t handle it and caused a scene to embarrass the Omega. Some physically or verbally lashed out at the Omega. Others were so persistent, they needed to get shot down 4 or 5 times just to get the point.

Eustace didn’t want to cause trouble for Lumi. But he still wasn’t giving up so easily. “Then, your name at least.”

With a soft gentle smile, “Saah Lumi. Florist.”

Eustace gives a grateful short nod then starts his walk of shame back to his table amongst the ridicules and laughs of all the patrons. Sarians and Bimans always found rejections amusing. It was a source of entertainment. Among the jeers, someone loudly bellows out “If you don’t witness at least 5 rejections a day, then you’re not in Sarak!” to which roaring laughter broke out.

Eustace plops back down in his seat, paying no mind to the teasing. His friend pushes a new mug of beer toward him to comfort him. A minute later the owner’s wife also consolingly puts down a mug of beer next to him. “On the house.”

While the last tremors of laughter were leaving Nine, the late idiots he’d been waiting for all evening casually stroll in. After cursing them out for a bit, they move to a round booth table.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Alaisdair listlessly drags his feet behind his friends. It was no easy feat tricking their Temple Mother to let them leave. So, the whole day he enjoyed his freedom by stuffing his face with sweets and delicacies, laughing and smiling so freely. Now, suddenly he was drained of energy.

The sinking feeling of dread washed over him. Juris curiously asks, “How do you know they’re going to be there, Emmi?”

They were all curious. Needless to say Emmi had been secretly tailing Kiril all day. Emmi playfully grins, “I have my ways. Just trust me.” Len gives him the suspicious side eye. He definitely had something planned.


	10. Fateful Reunion part 2

Drinks were served and the conversation was flowing. There was never a quiet moment with motormouths Bijal and Giden talking over each other. Kiril chugs down his beer, starting to feel the buzz.

Bijal was saying, “I don’t know what it is here. There must be something in the water. Everywhere you look, each one is sexier than the next!”

Giden, “It’s not like they want you though. How many times did you get rejected today? 30?” Laughter swept over the table. “On top of that, you gambled away all your money. Ugly and penniless.”

Nine, “Now they have three reasons to reject you.”

Bijal, “What’s the third reason?!”

Kiril draws his index finger and thumb super close together with a smirk. ”Small man.”. 

Seeing Bijal give lame excuses to defend his manhood was hilarious. The more defensive he got, the funnier it was. Eventually tired of being the butt of the joke, he drinks his beer quietly.

By chance he notices Lumi’s furtive glances befalling Nine. With a mischievous grin, he looks between an unsuspecting Nine and Lumi. Inhaling all the air he could, Bijal shouts to the table behind them at the top of his lungs. “Pretty brother in purple!”

Kiril, “Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”

Nine, "What's wrong with this bastard?!"

Bijal continues yelling despite his friends and everyone else thinking he’d lost his damn mind. “Smokin’ hot babe in the purple robes!! Come sit with us.”

After the whole ordeal with Eustace, Lumi was determined to lay low and not draw any more attention to himself. But now he was being relentlessly harassed by Bijal. It was hard to ignore him given how he was so loud even people walking outside could hear him.

Eustace almost got up to go over there and pop Bijal in the mouth. But before he could, Lumi was already heading over to Nine’s table, clearly irritated and ready to tell him off himself.

Just as Nine was about to object, Bijal cuts him off with a triumphant grin. “Too late. He’s already coming over. I took such great efforts to do this for you. He’s been making eyes at you all night. A well-mannered Alpha like you wouldn’t humiliate him by sending him away, would you?” This was revenge for ridiculing him and especially after Nine’s failed romance with a certain blonde, it was perfect. 

Nine goes past Giden to smack Bijal upside the head. A few seconds later, Lumi was standing in front of them, a little miffed. “What do you want?” he addresses Bijal.

Giving an innocent smile, “Don’t be like this, brother. You see, this friend here,” he points to Nine, “he really likes your looks. Despite how he looks, he’s actually a coward. So he asked me to call you over.”

Lumi eases up. The gods had thrown an opportunity right in his lap. Nonetheless, Nine couldn’t send Lumi away otherwise he’d be the laughingstock of the whole eatery. “Please join us, brother,” he gives his best polite smile. Sure Lumi was a looker, but he wasn’t Alaisdair.

Lumi looked more than happy to accept their invitation. Kiril was sitting on the outside, Nine was next to him in the middle, Giden to his right, then Bijal last. Fighting a groan, Kiril gets out of the booth so Lumi could get in. 

They were unprepared but they still had to make an effort to make Lumi feel accommodated. Lumi settles in close to Nine while Kiril reclaims his spot at the end. To disperse any initial awkwardness, Bijal’s mouth was already flying off his face. “Ah, by the way, we forgot to introduce ourselves.” 

Kiril stops him. “He doesn’t care about us. The only name he’s interested in getting tonight is his, right?” he points to Nine with a smirk. It was easy to read Lumi’s expression since they showed on his face. “Go on, dumbass. Give him your name.”

Nine wasn’t as talkative because he was not expecting to randomly entertain an Omega. Small talk was the best he could manage. Although he wasn’t overly friendly, he wasn’t impolite either. “Nine.” 

Not that that was enough to turn Lumi off. Lumi already had his arm tightly entwined with Nine’s. Very obviously he had staked his claim. 

Lumi pulls Nine closer, whispering his name into the Alpha’s ears. Eustace’s eyes were trained on Lumi protectively, his blood boiling with jealousy.

Bijal, “This friend might seem like he has it all but he has a lot of negatives.”

Nine narrows his eyes at the talkative fool. First, he put him in a difficult spot and now he was trying to slander his name. Though Lumi seemed intrigued. “Firstly, he’s a heathen!” 

At first, Lumi was confused, “How can that be? Aren’t you from Bima?”

Giden, “Even those Jien monsters at least worship their god of war.”

Kiril, “Their only god, you mean.”

But a while later, he broke out in laughter, finding it interesting. “He just chooses not to believe in the gods. Very unusual but not the worst.”

Bijal momentarily stumbles. “Secondly, his hands!”

Lumi holds his palm open next to Nine, indicating with his eyes for the Alpha to do the same. Their hands were palm to palm. Lumi’s whole hand easily fit inside Nine’s. After holding hands for a minute, Lumi could see what Bijal meant. Nine’s hands were softer than a baby’s. Typically this would be a turn off for most Omegas because they like hard-working Alphas that could provide for them and a sign of a hard-worker is rough, worked hands.

Lumi chortles, “Cute,” he says as he entwines his fingers with Nine’s. “I don’t mind it.”

Bijal, being ever the jolly loudmouth, “Really! Would you look at this. A perfect couple is formed tonight and by none other than the great me! Hey, hey. If you have a son, name him after me for playing matchmaker for you,” he says with a wink. Lumi was starting to flush red as he hid his face in Nine’s shoulder.

As the minutes flew by, Lumi had cozied up to Nine effortlessly. Watching from the side, Kiril was getting irritated. Bold Omegas like Lumi were the type he hated the most. It put him in the mood to unnerve him a little.

Suddenly as he was talking to Nine, Lumi’s face went pale. His stomach churned with fear and nausea. He found the cause as soon as he looked down. Kiril’s hand was secretly snaking up his inner thigh under the table. 

Both livid and embarrassed, he whips his head to Kiril who was pretending to be innocent. If Lumi called him out on it, it would make a huge scene and everyone would say he brought it upon himself for being too flirty in the first place. 

Lumi glared at the Beta but the look in Kiril’s eyes was antagonistic as if he was daring Lumi to say something. In this case, Kiril could deny it all he wanted plus Lumi had more to lose. Knowing that, Kiril gropes and kneads his thigh as Lumi helplessly falls silent.

Satisfied by the Omega’s docility, Kiril condescendingly pinches his nose. “Woah. Do you smell that? Smells like an Omega’s pheromones.” Lumi had just finished his heat a few days ago so he knew he wasn’t releasing any pheromones. It was like Kiril was trying to further humiliate him by insinuating he was a whore who could get turned on by being molested.

Nine sniffs the air a few times. If an Omega was in heat, as an Alpha he would be the first person to pick up on it. The only Omega nearby was obviously… “Do you mind?”

Lumi shakes his head and tilts his neck for Nine to nose at his neck. Lumi’s hands subconsciously caress Nine’s hair. It felt reassuring having Nine close. No matter how you looked at it, the whole thing looked a bit sensual. “I don’t smell any pheromones.”

To escape Kiril’s reach, Lumi scoots closer to Nine to the point that he was practically snuggled up against him. There was no way Kiril could try anything without Nine noticing his two-facedness. 

Nine suppressed the urge to push him away. If he let this continue, he felt like he would be leading Lumi on when he wasn’t interested in the slightest.

Free of Kiril now, Lumi thankfully nuzzled into Nine’s chest. He was really enjoying being enveloped in the Alpha’s body heat. Nine feels a tug on his sleeve. “A kiss. For making your acquaintance.”

That was a custom in Sarak where people gave each other kisses during their first meeting if they really hit it off. Generally it was platonic so Nine had no reason to reject him.The least he could do was give Lumi some face and oblige his request.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The boys follow Emmi into a cozy little eatery. As soon as they entered, they were confronted by the jovial atmosphere. Alaisdair kept groaning and sighing the whole way.

Len sneaks a glance at the blonde. Although he was happy earlier today when they were playing around the city, he could tell that his friend’s mood wasn’t really the greatest.

That was often the case when he visited his grandmother. Since they were using her as an excuse to get out of the temple so often, Alaisdair made sure to visit her at least once to make up for his guilty conscience. But their relationship was not very good.

Len walks over to the pouting blonde, patting his head a couple times. “So? How was it? Did she recognize you?”

Alaisdair sighs. “She still thinks I’m Aleistor.” It wasn’t a lie that she had dementia. She thought Alaisdair was his dad that died 16 years ago. Seeing Len’s concerned face, Alaisdair pretends to be cheerful. “But it’s not all bad being mistaken for him.” He whips out his coin purse. “See, I get a big allowance!”

Emmi was currently scanning the place for Kiril’s group but once Alais and Len’s voices floated to his ear, the paranoia got to him. He couldn’t trust Len. What if he turned his puppet, Alaisdair, against him? Emmi suddenly pops into their convo, latching onto the blonde affectionately. “You remember our promise, right?”

Alaisdair nods his head. Emmi looks him over up and down and sighs in disappointment. “You… you’re so hopeless! I told you not to wear this. You stand out like a sore thumb.” The three were wearing casual robes but Alaisdair was the only one who wore his temple robes. Wearing them drew attention and that was the last thing they needed.

Emmi had tried to persuade him many times but Alaisdair was stubborn to no end. His sky blue robes were a sign of morality and purity. He wasn’t willing to cast them off just like that.

The blonde stubbornly snubs his nose, earning a forehead flick from Emmi. 

Juris who was still scanning the place, “Emmi! I found them! Over there.”

It was at this time that Lumi and Nine were locking lips. Having automatically turned to where Juris pointed, Alaisdair couldn’t avoid catching the kiss.


	11. Fateful Reunion part 3

Alaisdair was confused why his friends were all giving him pitying expressions. It’s not like he cared about Nine in the slightest.

Juris flustered. “U-um, don’t be upset. It probably doesn’t mean anything.”

Len disgustedly crossed his arms. “Hmph. I knew that rich boy was a playboy.”

Emmi was needlessly hopeful. “Do you feel jealous? Like your man was stolen?”

Alaisdair only shrugged his shoulders with disinterest.

This was Alaisdair they were talking about. What were they expecting? They'd never seen him show even a sliver of attention to anyone besides them.

After recollecting their composure, Emmi starts walking towards Nine’s table. Juris grabs his arm hastily. “Emmi, wait! We can’t join them. They’re with someone,” he says as if Emmi wasn’t privy to Omega etiquette. Hesitation was apparent on Len and Alaisdair’s faces too.

Generally, there was an unspoken Omega code. All Omegas and Betas unanimously respected the code. If an Omega was sitting with an Alpha, no other Omega or Beta could interfere. It was like a dibs system.

No Omega had the gull to be so rude and mannerless by interfering. Except for one. Emmi raises his eyebrows challengingly. Arrogance dripped off him. “So what. Who’s gonna stop me.” And with that he strides his way over.

The closer they got to the table, the more nervous Juris felt. He had a soft heart. “Emmi, don’t!” Nonetheless, their feet obediently follow behind Emmi.

Four figures come into Kiril’s peripheral vision. Upon seeing Emmi’s face, he almost regurgitated his lunch. Visible confusion was on all their faces.

Lumi’s especially. Emmi puts on his most angelic act. “Ah! What a coincidence we ran into you, brother Nine. We’d been meaning to make up for what happened last time. We went to a lot of trouble to come meet you today…May we join you?”

Emmi intentionally shows off his Omega collar to intimidate Lumi. If Emmi were any other Omega, Lumi wouldn’t have tolerated the blatant disrespect. 

But Emmi was actually the son of high ranking priests in the Holy Royal Temple of Vos that directly served Sarak’s royal family. His family had very high social status. That was why people found it hard to tell him off despite his overbearing arrogance.

Lumi looks to Nine with a desperate plea in his eyes to reject Emmi’s request. Though Nine’s eyes couldn’t help drifting to Alaisdair furrowing his brows behind Emmi. Still, Nine had to show Lumi some respect. “Maybe another time? As you can see…”

Everybody was starting to look their way. Emmi was persistently determined to get his way one way or another. Acting abashed, “We really went to great lengths to approach you. If you send us away now, what will everyone think of us?” Emmi was nothing else if not calculated. He prided himself on his ability to see through people’s weaknesses. Nine’s was that he was weak against Omegas and didn't want to get involved in Omegas' business.

Emmi’s group was the one approaching Nine whereas it was supposed to be the opposite. If Nine turned them away, it would reflect negatively on their reputations especially since they were temple disciples. Everyone would think they were lustful and shameless. The fact that they left the temple to play so often was a huge problem in and of itself. But if he let them join, Lumi would lose face. Nine was in a tight bind. 

If Emmi making a scene wasn’t enough, Alaisdair’s face drew more attention than his robes. People immediately recognized him. Soft murmurs of “Aleistor’s son” spread through the place like wildfire. They looked at him like he was something offensive to their eyes.

Juris fidgets nervously. Lumi speaks up for himself. “Don’t you think you’re being too much? How can all of us fit in here?”

Emmi replies coldly as he stares Lumi down. “You’re right. Someone must leave.” There was no question who Emmi meant. From outside it looked like a calm conversation between two Omegas, but Lumi was defenseless against Emmi’s overwhelming psychological intimidation. 

Juris hesitantly takes a look back at the patrons then tugs Emmi’s arm to whisper into his ear. “E-Emmi. They’re glaring...they’re all glaring at us!”

Emmi irritatedly clicks his teeth and roughly jerks his arm back. “Then glare back! What are you telling me for?!” he harshly whispers back. Juris cowers.

Interspersed among the whispers were curses aimed at Alaisdair. Whore’s son. Filthy Black Hand. Walking disease. Alaisdair incredulously scoffs, feeling aggrieved. “I didn’t even do anything.” He was used to this treatment since birth. If it weren’t for Emmi’s protection and the fact that they could tell that Nine was a young master of some sort, they would’ve caused a bigger ruckus.

Seeing he couldn’t win against Emmi, Lumi relents with a deep sigh. Either way, with how Nine’s eyes were drawn to Alaisdair like magnets he had already lost. Lumi could see it in Nine’s eyes that he felt apologetic for the mistreatment. 

But rather than be looked at with such pity Lumi proposes a parting kiss. “For good fortunes.” Before Nine could respond, Lumi steals his lips for a very long kiss almost as if he was trying to get back at Alaisdair. As Lumi vacates his place, Emmi takes the chance to size him up from head to toe. _Hmph_. What Omega could compete with him.

Lumi heads back to his table defeated. He slides down in his seat to avoid pitying eyes. He was already humiliated enough. To be sent away like a whore who didn’t know his place in front of everyone. He could see beside him his sister was seething. “Where does that whore’s son get the authority to act like this?!” she raged.

A stream of curses at Alaisdair flew left and right. Regardless of whether it was Alaisdair’s fault or not, the superstitious people of Vos just couldn’t bear to see him strutting around town in purity robes as if he had any right to wear them being a Black Hand's son. They hated his existence to the bone. 

Her words got bolder. “Isn’t their temple responsible for blessing our water? And here they are shamelessly throwing themselves at every Alpha they see in front of everyone's eyes! I doubt they even know how to spell virtue! Tainted bodies, tainted hearts!” 

Sarians believed that water was the source of all life and it was the sole responsibility of the Temple of Purity to purify Sarak’s water sources. Lumi quickly clamps her mouth shut.

Her rage had incited louder murmurs to rumble throughout. “Have the gods already forsaken us? If we have filth like that blessing our water, our country is doomed to end up a wasteland like Manzar.”

“The Temple itself was contaminated the minute he stepped foot on its grounds. Why haven’t they razed it to the ground yet?!”

“I’ve lost my appetite just looking at him!” Amid the unbridled curses, Eustace slips out of the eatery.

Alaisdair was immune to the curses. It was more troublesome than hurtful receiving all this negative attention. While the rest were too flabbergasted to say anything, Emmi cheerfully claps his hands together. 

A big smile broke out on his face despite the disapproving whispers growing louder around them. “Hope you don’t mind if we squeeze in. I’ve been on a diet so it shouldn’t be too bad,” he joked. 

Kiril pushed down his frustration. Seeing Emmi spoiled his whole evening. Emmi obliviously assigns places, “Len, you sit there.” He points to the spot between Giden and Bijal. Bijal eagerly pats the spot like a dog wagging its tail. Len sighs as he reluctantly squeezes in.

Bijal didn’t waste any time putting the moves on him. “We’ve already met twice so we’re basically friends now.” Len looked at him with disinterest. “And just so you know, I make out with all my friends. With tongue. Since we’re friends and all…” Bijal puckers up.

Len couldn’t resist calling out the obvious lie. “Oh really? I don’t believe you. Show me how you do it with your friends and I might let you.”

Bijal’s eyes widen. “Seriously?!” Giden tries to avoid eye contact with him but it doesn’t work. Bijal had already launched himself at him trying to slip his tongue in his mouth. “Come on bro! Help me out just this once!!” Bijal’s eyes were redshot from desperation.

Giden shoves him away. Pure repulsion was written all over his face. “Fuck!! Get away, loser!” He looked ready to throw hands. Len was busting a gut on the side.

Giden fixes himself up and takes a deep breath. The whole time Giden and Jules were secretly sending each other looks. Before Emmi said anything, Juris blurts out “I’ll sit there!” as he sits next to Giden.

Emmi, “I’ll sit here and Alais…” Obviously Alaisdair had to sit next to Nine.

Alaisdair was about to give a lame excuse but Emmi schools him with a stern look. With a sulky pout, he takes his spot next to Nine and Emmi next to Kiril. So around the round booth, it was Kiril, Emmi, Nine, Alais, Giden, Jules, Len, and Bijal. The booth was cramped so they really had to squeeze in tight. Alaisdair was beyond uncomfortable. 

Lumi had lost all cheerfulness but faintly heard muffled rattling noises drawing closer to the eatery. Out of nowhere something pink, soft and fragrant, hit him in the back of the head. Then something yellow, white, red. He didn’t have time to process what was happening. Someone was throwing things at him. Curiously plucking out one of the things that landed in his hair, Lumi was baffled. Flowers.

He slowly turns back to see Eustace throwing more flowers at him. Beside him he had a wooden wheelbarrow, presumably stolen, brimming with countless roadside wildflowers he’d plucked.

Lumi’s sister tries to tell him off but Eustace stubbornly continues showering the beauty in flowers. Lumi could only stare dumbly at Eustace. Admittedly he was a bit awestruck, but it was still embarrassing. “Hey! Quit this already.” Eustace ignores him. “Why are you doing this?!”

Eustace pauses. “Because you’re most beautiful when you smile. Any Alpha would die to be in your presence so don’t be down.” Lumi tried to find it within himself to stay angry but he couldn’t. A soft little smile graced Lumi’s countenance against his wishes. More at the fact that Eustace stole a random wheelbarrow in his drunken stupor than the flower serenade. Just imagining it cheered him up a little.

Emmi was already being touchy secretly holding Kiril’s hand under the table. Kiril had to go along with him. 

Giden scoots closer and whispers in Juris’ ear. “Jules… right?”

Juris’ eyes twinkle. He excitedly whispers back, “You remembered.”

Giden nods his head with a soft chuckle. “Of course. It’s a cute name.” Juris almost blushed.

Len ignores the flirting pair. “Alais.” Alaisdair was quiet as a mouse. He had promised to be accommodating and this was the best he could do. “You haven’t eaten dinner yet, right? Order whatever you want. My treat.”

The blonde had a menu in his hand. “No need. I’m fine.” 

Len sucks his teeth. “Don’t be so considerate. Let me treat you.” Alaisdair had a hard time accepting others’ kindness. “If you feel bad, then treat me too.” He nods reluctantly.

Nine jumps in, trying to make a good impression. “I can treat you both. If you want.” Nine had never seen someone’s face twist in disgust so fast.

“Then I won’t eat,” Alaisdair mutters.

Emmi had to salvage the situation before they had a repeat of last time. With mood makers Emmi and Bijal talking up a storm everyone got along. They quickly became friends due to their similar personalities. Alaidair quietly stuffed his face the whole time while Emmi scowled at him disapprovingly. He needed to redeem himself and here he was pigging out.

Emmi gives Bijal a suggestive nod to which the Beta replies with a thumbs up. Time to kickstart the romance. Bijal unexpectedly gives Len a hard shove left, causing all of them to fall into each other like dominos. Alaisdair found himself half on Nine’s lap and half smushed against his chest.

Alaisdair turned red with anger. More at the fact that he almost spilled his dinner than he was shoved into Nine. “You!!” Bijal recoils. The way he was getting glared at, if looks could kill he’d have died twice. Nine also looked like he had murder on his mind.

Before they had to hold a funeral for Bijal, Emmi diverts their attention. “Ah! Before, you said that you and Little Pig are acquaintances.” Alais ignores the insult. “How do you know each other?”

Alaisdair was curious too. He didn’t recognize Nine. As far as he knew they'd never met before. “Maybe even less than acquaintances. There's not really much to tell. The whole story is really not that interesting. We only played together for a few hours as children 6 years ago.”

Alais’ spoon clatters. Emmi sounded disappointed. “Eh, that’s all? Then you’re just strangers!” Judging from Alaisdair’s reaction something was up. Emmi holds his chin in deep thought. “...wait a minute. You said you played together? That’s strange. At that time the only person who played with him was me. Hmm…….” The dots connect. “Oh! It’s you!!!” Nine’s eardrums almost burst.

Emmi went past Nine to yell at his trembling friend. “You! How the hell can you not recognize him? Are you blind?! You even slapped him!?” Alaisdair couldn’t even make eye contact. He only kept nervously wringing his hands. He looked like he was both terrified and uncertain.

Len also seemed to be thrown off guard. Jules was the only one who didn’t get it. He looks to Len for enlightenment. “That incident. It’s him…” 

Kiril looked at Nine dubiously, quietly asking him “You're so infamous. What did you do?”

Nine needed to know why this extreme negative reaction too. It seemed Alaisdair recognized him but not in a good way. “Wait. Did I do something?” he asks with absolute bewilderment. 

Their whole demeanor became evasive. The only thing faker than Emmi’s smile was his laugh, “Ehehe. Nothing, nothing.” But Alaisdair’s rattled expression said it wasn’t nothing. It was something big. An uneasy silence hung over them. 

“I need some air,” Alaisdair says in a barely audible whisper. He stumbles on his way out.

No one was willing to divulge anything to Nine. Len got up to go comfort him but Jules grabs his arm. “I’ll go.”

Outside, Alaisdair was very visibly shaken up, almost breaking out in cold sweat as he clenched a pale blonde woven bracelet made from Aleistor’s hair. The only memento he had of his dad. 

Jules approaches carefully. “Alais… are you okay?” Because of the circumstances of his birth, he was forced to join the temple. He had certain conditions to abide by. He needed to accept his red robes to retrieve his dad’s remains. 

Reuniting with Nine was the only thing that could derail him and the only thing he hoped would never ever happen. Alaisdair repeatedly reminds himself “Love is a weakness. Strike it dead.” Jules gives him a big hug. Figuring that he probably wanted to be alone to work through his muddled, conflicted thoughts, Jules gives him some space. 

Alaisdair fortifies his armor before heading back in.

He’d been back for a while when Nine was suddenly in his ear. “Let’s talk privately.” Alaisdair looks to Emmi for accompaniment. After their terrible last exchange, he absolutely did not want to be alone with Nine. Emmi pretends to not notice his pleading stares. He wasn’t going to bail him out.

Alaisdair reluctantly stands up, making a resolution in his heart. He wasn’t going to get swept away. There was no point in humoring Nine’s advances. Love was worthless. Aleistor once fell in love and it destroyed him. He wasn’t going to let the same happen to him. His heart needed to be colder than ice. 

Nine grabs the waitress flitting between tables to ask her for a private room. She shoots him a cheeky smirk, “I’m impressed. Little brother, are you picking up every Omega you see or something? Just earlier I saw you with a different beauty. Is it that Omegas can’t resist you or you can’t resist them?”

Alaisdair looked at him with repulsion. Nine tried to stop her. She was making him look like super sleazy playboy. Yet another misunderstanding. Alaisdair’s impression of him couldn’t possibly get any worse. She gives him a couple hard smacks on the back as she continued praising his pickup skills. Nine almost coughed up a lung. “Anyways, you’ll find a room straight ahead, turn left.”

Even after closing the door her laugh kept ringing in Nine’s ears. Nine regally sits atop the table with his legs crossed. Alaisdair was pressed against the door. His nervousness was almost palpable. Nine clears his throat. With how they left things last time, it was a miracle Alaisdair was even willing to breathe the same air as him. “Listen, you don’t have to stand so far away. I really just want to talk.”

Alaisdair twirls a strand of his curly hair. “Then hurry up and get to the main point. But before that shouldn’t you first start with an apology?” 

Nine observes him carefully, trying to learn more about him. “You’re right. My words were too harsh. I regret my shameful behavior.” It seemed like Alaisdair was barely listening. Undeterred by his cold attitude, Nine grins confidently. “But despite all that, I am serious about pursuing you. What do you say from this point on, we let bygones be bygones and get acquainted?”

Alaisdair crosses his arms defensively. “I refuse. There’s no reason for me to show you any hospitality.” 

Nine ruffles the back of his hair with a disappointed sigh. “You really don’t respond well.” 

In every scenario, Sarians had set responses to not come off too rude drilled into them since childhood. It wasn’t the first time Alaisdair had been told he had no manners and it always stung like hell since to him they were basically saying that he was a parentless bastard whom no one loved enough to teach proper manners to. It was something he was very conscious of.

Although he was rejecting Nine, his words dripped with uncertainty and his voice trembled. “Either way your attention is actually really troublesome for me. There’s no way I’d ever fall for you so just give up.”

Nine couldn’t tell if Alaisdair was nervous because they were alone or if there was a deeper reason. But the blonde’s words didn’t seem altogether truthful. “We’re both really stubborn. Now I’m questioning our compatibility. Since you’re so sure you won’t fall for me, then do you want to see if your stubbornness is any match for my advances?” 

Truth of the matter was that Alaisdair could resist all he wanted but no one could beat Bimans when it came to persistence. It was only a matter of time before that impregnable fortress guarding Alaisdair’s heart fell. Hell, Nine could already see the chinks in his armor just from one conversation. 

Nine holds out his hand with a playful smile. “We don’t have to be friends or anything. I won’t force you to see me again either but can we at least agree to start on a clean slate?”

After being called mannerless, Alaisdair didn’t want to outwardly reject again. So he only quietly stares at Nine’s hand for a minute before barely touching his thumb. “I can’t touch you.” He looked grossed out touching Nine.

It took Nine a second to realize Alaisdair probably meant because of his temple rules though that only seemed like a blatant excuse. “You’re actually hurting my feelings,” Nine playfully says as he forcefully pulls Alaisdair’s hand in for a full handshake. 

Before Alaisdair could even protest, Nine had him pulled in for a quick hug to commemorate their acquaintance. It ended so fast Alaisdair wondered if it really happened.

Though it might’ve only lasted barely a second, it was all Nine needed to feel like this was real. After 6 long years of yearning, the gods had reunited him with his first love.

After that the long evening had come to an end. The city was gleaming with thousands of blindingly bright lights to celebrate the Lights Festival.

It looked like everyone was paired up and ready to head out. Giden waves them over, “Hey! We decided we’re going to go around and enjoy the festival together.” Nine waits with them outside with a devilish smirk while Alaisdair catches up with Len to pay their bill since they promised to treat each other.

Len was all set to pay for Alaisdair’s portion. Meanwhile Alaisdair stared hopelessly at the glass marble, single button, and dust bunny in his money pouch where his allowance should be. Not even one coin was left. He had forgotten he’d spent all his money on sweets. 

It was amusing for the waitress to watch his funny expressions though it was unnecessary. “Listen, little friend. That friend there has already paid for your meals.”

Alaisdair looks at her quizzically. “Which friend?” It was apparent from Nine’s smirk earlier which friend she meant. A deep frown forms on the blonde’s face. He heads towards Nine with heavy stomps.

A minute after Alaisdair left Eustace was standing in front of the waitress wearing the same hopeless expression as he stared into his empty money pouch. He’d wanted to further impress Lumi by paying for his meal but he couldn’t even afford to pay for his own.

Lumi had tried to stop Eustace from paying for him but the Alpha was so insistent he couldn’t say no. A meek voice calls behind him. “You really don’t have to do this.” Lumi couldn’t see his embarrassed expression from behind. If he backed down now he’d look lame in front of Lumi after all the effort he put into wooing him. He felt like they’d actually connected too.

The waitress decides to take mercy on him before he died from embarrassment. She whispers to Eustace, “Little brother, my mood is really good today so I'll give you a big discount. Just give me whatever you have,” so that he could save face in front of Lumi. Eustace looks at her with total confusion but nonetheless hands over the entire money pouch since he really had nothing at all. The waitress' face fell. 

Little did Eustace know that Nine had already paid for his and Lumi’s meals too as an apology but telling him that would’ve only hurt the Alpha’s pride. If Nine weren't so generous, her husband would've probably broke both of Eustace's legs for daring to act so audacious when he was broke as a joke.

Eustace wipes the nervous sweat off. He catches Lumi’s attention on him and could see that the Omega was looking him over. He’d already been rejected so he wasn’t trying to push his luck but was he mistaken to think that Lumi was staring at him with expectations? Eustace decides to give love one more chance to bloom. “U-um, do you want to go to the festival with me?”

Lumi gives him a meek smile and a nod.

Alaisdair stands in front of Nine ready for confrontation. His affection wasn’t going to be bought with money. “You! Did you think I would be flattered over this? No one asked you to. You’re dead wrong if you think I’m going to thank you.” 

Predicting the warpath the blonde was on, Len holds Alaisdair’s head down. “Thank you brother for your generosity.” He whispers under his breath to Alaisdair, “Don’t make yourself look any worse.”

Alaisdair fruitlessly tries to remove Len’s hand. “I refuse to be in debt to you. Fess up! How much did you pay? I’ll pay you back right here and now.” Although it was just a bluff considering he didn’t have a single coin on him.

Len was so ashamed he almost bit Alaisdair’s head off. “You just be quiet! Can’t you be amiable for once? Does he look like the type who's going to fuss over some chump change?” 

Nine couldn’t stop grinning as he watched Len and Alaisdair. He had to stop himself from laughing. Of course he didn’t do it with any ulterior motives. It was just out of politeness. But he enjoyed seeing Alaisdair’s relentlessly stubborn reaction. He really liked that Alaisdair was so straight-forward. 

Alaisdair approaches Emmi. Emmi already saw through his intentions. “I’m not lending you any money to pay him! How petty can one person be?!” If Emmi weren’t pulling his cheeks so hard Alaisdair would’ve tried persuading him more.

Nine gives him a charming glance backwards, “I didn’t do it to be thanked. I just felt like it.” Alaisdair had no retort for once, almost momentarily charmed but quickly caught himself.

They were all walking through the city surrounded by bright lights. Emmi had fallen behind everyone to stay with Kiril. They needed to keep their relationship a secret for the time being. Bijal wouldn’t leave Len alone and Giden and Juris were somehow stuck to each other. 

The road was narrow. Alaisdair had no choice but to walk close to Nine on the brightly lit path, feeling the faint sound of his heartbeats mingling with his footsteps. But he convinces himself it was only because he was excited about the festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Hachi & Lee


	12. Hachi's Declaration of War

The scorching mid-afternoon heat was starting to dissipate. Lee takes another drag from his cigarette. The toxic stick had dwindled down so much it was nothing more than a stub now. Each inhale of the small stub singed his fingers. The gray smoke clung to his hair and clothes. Littered on the floor in front of him was a grave of cigarette butts.

Lee had been enshrouded in a pensive mood when he hears footsteps and groans of effort from the other side of the wall he was leaning against. It sounded like someone was scaling up the wall. Lee leaps to his feet and gets into a defensive stance, ready for anything.

Only to be disappointed when he sees Hachi on top of the wall. Hachi was annoyingly persistent as all hell but not exactly a threat so Lee exhales a sigh of relief. Hachi was trying his hardest to not be detected so he could surprise Lee but was already discovered. He had one foot over the wall when his eyes met Lee’s penetrating glare. 

Hachi didn’t know why he suddenly hesitated. The two awkwardly stare at each other for a full minute. It felt like Lee’s stares bore deep into his soul. Lee was already peeved that his quiet time was disrupted. He peacefully sits down and leans against the wall just as he had been doing before the disruption, already resigned to chasing Hachi off.

It was impossible. Hachi just wouldn’t leave him alone no matter how hard he tried to scare him off anyways. Hachi was so astounded by Lee tolerating his presence that he toppled off the wall and hit the ground face first. If Lee wasn’t too busy being astonished he would’ve laughed.

Despite the embarrassing fall, Hachi picks himself up and dusts off his fancy clothes. Hachi didn’t know how to react. It felt like today especially Lee wasn’t as prickly to him. Whatever the reason was, it was still a good development. Lee sucks his teeth in irritation at Hachi’s happy expression, “How do you know about this place?”

It was no surprise Hachi knew Lee’s favorite hiding spots. He’d been observing him closely since last year. He probably knew more about Lee than anyone else. It was very rare an Alpha attracted his attention so when he fell for Lee, he fell hard. Hachi tries to put Mao’s advice into effect by acting coy. “Just a coincidence?”

Lee didn’t feel like countering the bold-faced lie. He turns his head away, deciding not to waste his time on humoring Hachi. Meanwhile Hachi fixed himself up. He’d been chased around for a good while earlier by Rei's goons so his hair was a rat nest and after the fall off the wall his nice clothes were dusty. Lee curiously turns back to see what Hachi was doing.

Deciding he looked presentable enough, Hachi backs away from Lee so he could get a good look at him. “Lee! Take a good look. I cleaned up and dressed nice for you. What do you think? Do you like this appearance?” he asks in a tone bursting with hopefulness. 

He knew he was more abrasive than other Omegas so he figured if Lee didn’t like his personality then at least he could capture his heart with his looks. He was quite confident that he ranked among the top beauties in all of Sol Mahir. Lee looked him over for a good long while with an unreadable expression.

Lee already knew Hachi was cute so he wasn’t going to be taken in so easily by just that. His rejection of Hachi had nothing to do with looks or temperament. It was more fundamental. Hachi was an Omega and he wanted nothing to do with him. “Are you playing dress up, kiddie? It don’t suit you none,” Lee scoffs. He wasn’t giving Hachi any openings.

Although his face didn’t show it Hachi was a little dejected that his polished appearance wasn’t enough to impress Lee. Usually Alphas fell for it. He settles down next to Lee to use his next weapon of seduction: perfume. Hachi regarded him with a contemplative eye. As he predicted, Lee didn’t take well to the timid type. Someone as meek as Mao wouldn’t suit Lee and probably wasn’t what Lee wanted either. It would be like a lion with a deer. Hachi scraps the meek act altogether.

Intimidated by Hachi’s intense gaze, Lee shoves his face away. “There’s so much space. Why do you have to sit so close to me?!” A dizzyingly sweet scent wafts to his nose. Hachi waits for his reaction. “What’s that strange smell?" Hachi had gone to great lengths to cover all the bases from appearance to smell today all so that Lee would hopefully be moved by his efforts and maybe see him as a love interest. 

Instead, Lee pinched his nose and shoved Hachi away even harder. “Did you fall into a vat of pig shit or something? Move away right now if you don’t want to be covered in puke, dumbass.” It didn’t seem like Lee was lying either since he almost turned green. 

Hachi’s reaction quickly changed from disappointment to concern. Thinking fast, he launches to his feet and rubs dirt all over himself to mask the scent, not giving a single care in the world at how ridiculously expensive his clothes and accessories were. Hachi made a mental note to immediately fire his family's perfumer when he got back.

His plan to capture Lee’s heart with a different appearance was a big fail but Hachi had long since expected this outcome. It wasn’t his style playing pretend anyways. If he was going to steal Lee’s heart, he was going to do it fair and square. No matter how long it took.

Since he started pursuing Lee, every time he advanced Lee retreated. But not today. Hachi inhales a giant gulp of air. Lee held a new cigarette between his lips and was just about to light it with a match when Hachi cupped his hands around his mouth and started shouting. 

“Lee!! I won’t let you slip away. You can reject me all you want but I’ve never once in my life said the words ‘give up.’ Do you understand what I’m saying?” Lee was dumbstruck. He could only gawk. “Listen closely. I’m declaring war on you right here and now! I won’t stop until your every waking thought is consumed with me.”

Lee appreciated Hachi’s brave words. He admired his confidence. Actually, he found it really attractive. But nonetheless, it was better for Hachi to not get involved with him. Lee felt like he was actually doing him a favor by pushing him away considering their social statuses. It was probably just a childish infatuation anyways. He’d get over it eventually.

Lee retorts with a condescending sneer. “And what if I never return your feelings? Isn’t your family eventually just going to marry you off to some rich Alpha anyways? If you’re that bored and just want someone to play around with, there should be plenty of other Alphas around.” 

Hachi was unfazed. “I don’t care what Alpha my brother sets me up with. If I can’t have you then I’ll take lifetime vows of celibacy and never so much as lay eyes on another Alpha!” Lee was perturbed by Hachi’s level of devotion. For a second, he almost dangerously succumbed to it.

Lee gets up and dusts off his knees. If he stayed any longer, he feared his half-hearted resistance would crumble into fine powder. Hachi clenched his fists in rising frustration. Lee was running away from him again. He hated when Lee showed such a cowardly side, when he never gave him a straight-forward rejection. Never faced his feelings head-on.

Sure, he acted unreceptive of Hachi's feelings. But the way he responded was always vague. Never too harsh nor too kind. As if Lee wanted to accept his love but was too afraid. “I always knew you were scared of me. Lee, you coward!” Hachi roared at Lee’s retreating back.

An icy cold shiver tingled down Lee’s spine in reaction to the insult that cut to his core, causing him to stop dead in his tracks. He didn’t care what anyone called him but getting called a coward was the one thing he would absolutely never tolerate. And definitely not from an Omega. He had proud Biman blood coursing through his veins. There was not an ounce of cowardice in him.

Lee heads towards him with such malice that Hachi instinctively took a step back. Hachi braces himself for the onslaught. Lee aggressively thrashes him around by the hem of his robes. The impact happened so fast Hachi’s head was sent reeling. He could hardly breathe. “What cowardice?! When have I ever been cowardly?!”

Hachi was faced with the full brunt of Lee’s aggression. It was the first time he was actually terrified of Lee. He takes a hard gulp around the lump in his throat. He was scared out of his mind but so what? He wasn’t going to back down even if it was Lee. “When haven’t you been a coward? How am I supposed to believe you don’t feel the same way when you can’t even look me in the eye when you reject me?”

Lee grits his teeth. “Call me a coward again and you’ll live to regret it, little Omega. Consider this your first and last warning.”

Hachi scoffs. It was a rare sight to see Lee so riled up. If his reaction was this extreme, Hachi figured that he must’ve hit the nail on the head. “Try kissing me,” Hachi blurts out. Lee was visibly confused. “Maybe you’ll realize you like me too if you kiss me. It’s just one little kiss. There’s no reason for you to refuse, right? Or is Lee the Coward scared of one little Omega?”

Lee answers him with a wry sarcastic smile. “What do you think is so good about you that I _have_ to fall in love with you? Just because you have money? Or are you so proud of your face? Don’t flatter yourself.”

Hachi gasps for breath. “It doesn’t matter as long as it’s enough to turn your head my way. But one thing I am sure about is that in this whole world no one loves you more than me. That must be why you keep trying to run away from you. Because you’re intimidated by my love.”

He wasn’t going to give in to Hachi’s childish provocation. Lee throws him to the ground so hard Hachi had the wind knocked out of him. Lee walks away from the coughing Omega nursing the scratches and bruises he sustained. The image brought to mind Savine’s fragile back. Lee strengthens his resolve. Hachi was better off without him.

Hachi rubs his sore wrist. It hurt like hell. He fell badly on it and was probably mildly sprained. Once again he picks himself up and dusts himself off. Lee was already some ways off when niggling thoughts invaded his conscience. Was he too mean? Was Hachi really hurt? Good. Maybe now Hachi would learn his lesson and stay away for good.

Inexplicable anxiety and sadness filled Lee’s heart. He had turned Hachi down at every turn but did he really want Hachi to give up on him for good? To his surprise, Hachi jogs up alongside him carefree as ever. 

Lingering traces of anger from their earlier lover’s spat remained in Lee’s demeanor but Hachi could see that he was astonished by his resilience. “I already told you that I’m declaring war on you. You're dealing with the strongest Omega in all of Sol Mahir. Did you think my love was that flimsy?” Hachi flashes a prideful grin.

Lee couldn’t even summon any more energy to get angry or shoo him away. Sensing this vulnerability, Hachi takes the chance to flit around him excitedly. “Lee! Lee! What do you think about me?” Hachi jumps in front of him, looking at Lee as he recklessly walked backwards. 

“Your impression of me really doesn’t seem too bad. Maybe I have a chance? You’ll never find another Omega as strong, loyal, or brave as me. And I have wealth and status. Not to mention that my looks are top-class. Where can you find another Omega as good as me?” Lee fought back a smile. He’d never heard someone boast so earnestly about themselves. “Just what about me displeases you?”

Lee snaps himself out of his reverie. So disturbed that he almost got carried away, he accidentally bumps into Hachi. Hachi almost fell on his ass but luckily Lee grasps his arm in time. He clicks his tongue. “Don’t walk in front of me.” Lee was tall for his age, he had a head over Hachi and some muscle on him too. He could easily run Hachi over.

Hachi simpered. In other words, Lee was scared of accidentally hurting him. Earlier, the anger went to his head and he was seeing red. But it wasn’t particularly in his nature to go around hurting Omegas just for the hell of it. He was not like his good-for-nothing stepfather. 

Hachi was back to fluttering around him to flirt. Lee would occasionally push him away if he got too close or click his tongue when annoyed but overall he didn’t seem to really mind Hachi’s flirtations. Hachi was fine with Lee not answering him either. He could talk enough for two people.

They had walked like this for a good hour until they got back to the brightly lit heart of the city. Lee endured as Hachi talked his ear off. Until he spots a swaying drunken figure on the other side of the street strutting around with his arm around a short, stout woman.

She had very gaudy make-up caked on and was scantily dressed. Lee knew a brothel whore when he saw one. Hachi traces Lee’s gaze to a sinewy, dark-haired Alpha who was so inebriated he could hardly walk straight. He was remarkably unkempt and though Hachi wasn’t close enough to smell him he could only imagine how foul the stench.

The Alpha tossed around a heavy jingling pouch of coins in front of him as he arrogantly bragged about his wealth to his female companion. The whore’s eyes twinkled greedily as they followed the pouch up and down. She most likely planned to get the Alpha so drunk out of his mind that he wouldn’t notice her making off with his money. The two were heading into a tavern.

Hachi catches a quick glimpse of unrestrained murderous rage flash in Lee’s eyes before he was already zooming off towards the tavern. This could only mean disaster.

Lee’s stepfather barely had time to settle into his seat and guzzle his beer when Lee was suddenly upon him. Lisiman hadn’t noticed his stepson standing behind him for several seconds until his female companion pointed him out. 

“Oh, if it isn’t that Sarian whore’s bastard.” He cared so little about Savine that he didn’t even know Savine was Biman, not Sarian. Not that many Mahirians could tell them apart either even when sober.

Lee oozed hate. He gripped the back of Lisiman’s chair. “Get up,” he growled through gritted teeth. 

Lisiman dangled the coin purse in Lee’s face. This was all the money Lee had earned with blood, sweat and tears at the cost of his Alpha pride and dignity. And now it was being wasted to satisfy Lisiman’s many vices-whores, alcohol, and gambling. “Why do I have to follow your command? Is a fatherless bastard like you my father?! Go away and let me enjoy myself. You worked hard to earn this money and I’m working hard to spend it for you. If you want someone to blame, then go blame your dad who gives in so easily from a little beating. Isn't he supposed to be Sarian? Aren't Sarian Omegas supposed to be durable? He can't even take a punch.”

Lee’s anger had reached such a boiling point that his pupils turned into slits. He forcefully yanked Lisiman out of the chair by the back of his collar. “Didn’t you hear me telling you to get up?!” 

Lisiman had responded by smashing his mug of beer over Lee’s head and just like that pandemonium broke out. The two Alphas were throwing fists, chairs and bottles. Some patrons tried to pry them apart while others drunkenly whooped.

By the time Hachi had reached the tavern he was confronted by the scene of Lee dragging his stepfather outside. They had started tussling and it was so violent that Hachi couldn’t intervene. Though Lee seemed to have the upperhand since Lisiman couldn’t even stand without staggering.

Lee had Lisiman in a vice-like chokehold from behind while the older Alpha flailed around. Right as Hachi tried to jump in and calm Lee down, a group of Mahirian peacekeepers had them surrounded. The tall, burly Alphas pulled Lee away from Lisiman.

Free from Lee’s violence, Lisiman cockily sneered and spat on Lee’s face. “Hold that animal back! How dare he treat me like this? I took you and that bitch in! Before that Sarian bitch ruined my reputation, I had enough prestige in just my little finger alone that your worthless kind couldn’t even breathe in my presence without my permission! Now you ridicule and humiliate me in front of everyone like this?!”

Hachi shoved the Alpha peacekeepers roughly manhandling Lee away. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let go of him right now!”

As soon as Lee was free, Lisiman was no longer safe to keep running his mouth. A second wave of relentless assault crashed down on him. Hachi latches onto Lee’s torso, afraid that Lee might actually kill his stepfather. “Lee! Calm down. Killing this human filth is not worth being imprisoned for life.”

Although restrained by Hachi, Lee’s long legs were still free to deliver powerful kicks to Lisiman who had landed on his ass. Lisiman received the beatdown of his life. The only thing he could do was pathetically crawl out of Lee’s reach as he cried for Savine. “Savine… Savine. Save me… he’s trying to kill me.”

To spit on Savine’s name whenever he wanted and now to call for him. Lee’s anger rose. Hachi was trying his best to restrain Lee. One second, he had him around the waist. The next he found himself lying on the ground. He couldn’t tell if one of Lee's punches had accidentally fallen on him or if Lee had elbowed him in the face or thrown him to the ground. Either way Hachi couldn’t muster the strength to get back up. 

All he knew was that his vision was spinning and everywhere hurt. He felt like he was bleeding but he didn’t know from where. On top of that, his wrist sprain had severely worsened. His wrist sported a dark bluish-black bruise. But Lee had his foot on Lisiman’s throat and was about to apply crushing weight. So Hachi had to find it within himself to get up and stop him.

Luckily, the peacekeepers had intervened in time. Lee’s shouts and curses were getting warbled out but nonetheless Hachi could see that Lee needed him. His Alpha needed him. The peacekeepers were tending to Lisiman as they perceived him to be the innocent victim while roughly hauling Lee off. 

Lee was no stranger to spending a day or week in a cold holding cell over his many bouts with Lisiman. But Hachi was here now. And as long as there was breath in his body, no one was going to belittle Lee in his presence without paying the price.

Hachi finds his feet. He unsteadily wobbles over to Lee and stands in front of him. His head was still spinning. He barely had the strength to form words but Hachi puts on his most dignified act to sort the Alphas out. “You. Do you know who I am?” Hachi says with haughty arrogance as he addresses the peacekeepers. “It seems like you don’t. You’re in the presence of my great self.” Hachi gives them a minute to recognize him. 

Although his face and clothes were filthy by now, it was obvious from the ornate stitching on his regal clothes and his diamond and gold accessories that he wasn’t just a nobody. The only family in all of Sol Mahir who could afford such extravagance was Hachi’s. Who in Sol Mahir didn't know about Hachi's family's immense wealth and prestige. All their eyes widen in fear. "I’m going to remember all your faces," he threatened. If Sansu heard that they had gotten his little brother caught up in the middle of a drunken brawl, he’d probably disembowel all of them.

Hachi could barely move his arms but he had to keep up the arrogant act so he puts them on his hip. “Now let go of this person and instead arrest him!” he points to Lisiman trying to sneak away while no one was paying attention to him.

The peacekeepers exchange doubtful looks. Lee was a frequent troublemaker so they knew him very well. The fight was more than likely started by him. They already had prejudice against him because he was low-class and his violent temperament didn’t help. But Hachi was not having it. He snaps fiercely, “Just standing there! Does my family pay you to just stand there?! Who do you think pays you? I put food on your table. When I tell you to do something, you do it quick!”

They snap to it in a frenzy. Within milliseconds Lisiman was getting dragged off like a corpse with two peacekeepers carrying him by his arms and another two by his legs. They couldn’t even bother to tie up his hands. Lisiman was so dumbfounded that he didn’t even put up a fight. He just quietly let himself get taken out like day old trash. Though the peacekeepers had to hold their breath the whole time since Lisiman smelled like day old trash too.

While Hachi wasn’t expecting gratitude, he certainly wasn’t expecting Lee’s reaction to be so hostile. Hachi was hoping Lee would be at least a little relieved but Lee had had enough of being in debt to an Omega. To Hachi. Lee antagonistically bumps his shoulder against Hachi as he passed by, leaving Hachi rooted to the spot a little forlorn as he wistfully watched Lee’s slumped back the second time that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excited about the next H & L chapter 😊 Don't wanna reveal too much but we might finally see a kiss or two or three...🤐
> 
> Not sure which couple for next chapter. Making minor changes to the plot.


End file.
